Spurs Latest

Spurs ‘hold Paulinho interest’

Sky Sports | Football News — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:25:03 +0000

Corinthians director Duilio Monteiro Alves claims Tottenham Hotspur hold an interest in Paulinho, but that there have yet to be any offers for the midfielder.

Andre Villas-Boas wants Gareth Bale to stay as he seeks talks with Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur | Mail Online — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:01:09 +0000

Andre Villas-Boas will seek assurances over Tottenham’s commitment to keeping Gareth Bale and landing his top transfer targets before committing his future to the club.

Tottenham ready £15m bid for Brazil’s Paulinho in plan to beat Roma and Inter Milan to midfielder’s signature

Tottenham Hotspur | Mail Online — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:57:35 +0000

Tottenham are to make a £15million offer for Brazilian midfielder Paulinho to head off competition from Roma and Inter Milan.

Inter Milan Confirm Tottenham Interest In Fredy Guarin

Charlie Yaxley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:56:46 +0000

White Hart Lane club showing keen interest in Colombian midfielder.

Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts

Inter President Massimo Moratti has confirmed that Tottenham are one of a number of clubs keen on securing the signature of Freddy Guarin according to Sporting Life.

The Colombian midfielder is thought to have attracted the attention of a number of European sides following a highly impressive season at the San Siro.

It is thought that Tottenham have been admirers of Guarin for some time and have now been persuaded to make their move for the 26 year old.

Inter are reluctant to sell Guarin as he has become an integral part of their time since joining from Porto last summer.

Tottenham may have to move soon if they wish to prevent being caught up in a bidding war. Wealthy Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala are also thought to be showing an interest and will likely be able to flex their financial muscle in order to price Tottenham out of a move.

But it is thought that Guarin would favour a move to the Premier League which could pave the way for a switch to White Hart Lane.

Tottenham know Guarin’s talents well after the two sides went head to head in last season’s Europa League in a tie which Tottenham eventually won on away goals.

Chelsea Target Not Interested In Leaving Sporting Lisbon

Mark Brus — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:48:43 +0000

Young winger keen to stay in Portugal.

Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts

Sporting Lisbon sensation Armindo Tué Na Bangna, more commonly known as Bruma, is not interested in leaving the club for Chelsea this summer, according to Sky Sports.

The Blues have been monitoring the 18-year-old Portuguese star, who has burst onto the scene this season with some appearances in Sporting's first team.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has stressed that the club will look to invest in youth due to the new Financial Fair Play regulations brought in by UEFA, and Bruma is said to be one of his prime targets this summer.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham have all been linked with him as well, but the player himself has played down talk of a move, saying he is happy and at the club that he loves.

"Sporting Lisboa is the club that I love and I would like to discuss a new deal with the president," he is quoted as saying.

He added that he has parted company with his agent, who he hinted may have been talking up interest from clubs such as Chelsea to engineer a lucrative move.

"I have split from my agent [Zahavi]," he said. "This is because I was not happy with negotiations over my future.

"Personally, I am happy at Sporting."

Corinthians director expects Tottenham to bid for Paulinho

Kevin McCauley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:44:41 +0000

Tottenham Hotspur have not yet made a bid for Corinthians and Brazil star Paulinho, but a Corinthians director anticipates that a formal bid will be made for the midfielder's services shortly. Deputy director Duílio Monteiro Al...

Monaco Considering Move For Manchester City Attacker Samir Nasri

Mark Brus — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:16:06 +0000

French midfielder could make Ligue 1 return.

Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts

Big-spending Monaco are considering a move to bring former Marseille star Samir Nasri back to Ligue 1 this summer, CaughtOffside understands.

The Manchester City midfielder has not had the best of times since his big-money move to the Etihad Stadium from Arsenal in 2011, despite playing a part in the club's Premier League title triumph last season.

The Frenchman's performances have been plagued by inconsistency, and this has led to speculation that he could be let go by the club this summer, as they look to rebuild their squad under new manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Former City boss Roberto Mancini admitted he found Nasri's mixed performances frustrating, and Pellegrini is unlikely to keep the player around as he looks to bring in some new faces of his own, targeting the likes of Isco from Malaga and Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus as players who play in Nasri's position. Sevilla winger Jesus Navas has also already been brought in, and could also occupy a potential spot on the wing for Nasri.

PSG were linked with the 25-year-old a few months back, but appear to have dropped their interest after a disappointing campaign from the French international, targeting bigger names such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

Monaco, however, are keen on giving Nasri another chance to shine in Ligue 1, after he established himself as one of the most exciting young players in the world in his time with Marseille. Backed by their wealthy Russian owner, the newly-promoted side have already brought in big names such as Radamel Falcao, Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez, and are believed to be working on numerous other star signings.

Claudio Ranieri's side have also been linked with other City starts who could be available this summer, such as Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko, though both of those seem set for moves to Serie A with AC Milan and Napoli, respectively. Nasri, however, has not yet had any major offers, and would likely be tempted by the money on offer at Monaco, as well as the chance to return to his native France.

City would supposedly listen to offers of around £17million for the former Arsenal man, and Monaco are likely to meet their demands as they will be keen to bring in more new players quickly, as they seem likely to miss out on another target of theirs in Hulk of Zenit St Petersburg, who is close to agreeing a move to Chelsea.

An in-form Nasri could end up being a good and relatively cheap option for Monaco as they aim to build a new-look team that can challenge PSG for the Ligue 1 title next season. The move would also be a timely one for Nasri, who has stagnated in England, and in truth does not look ready to cope with the physical side of the game in the Premier League.

Tottenham confident of beating off PSG interest in André Villas-Boas

Dominic Fifield — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:01:49 +0000

• Manager's agent spent weekend talking to PSG's owner
• Qataris happy to meet £10m release clause in Spurs contract

Tottenham Hotspur are confident André Villas-Boas will remain their head coach next season despite Paris Saint-Germain holding protracted talks with the Portuguese's representative over a move to Parc des Princes.

The French champions are hoping they will finally secure a manager this week to allow Carlo Ancelotti, who steered the club to a first title in 19 years and the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and his backroom staff to join Real Madrid. PSG sounded out a number of possible replacements, including José Mourinho, Manuel Pellegrini, Walter Mazzarri and Guus Hiddink, and have declined to pursue Fabio Capello's interest in the role, but Villas-Boas has since emerged as their preferred candidate.

Tottenham finished fifth in the Portuguese's first season at Spurs and Villas-Boas has two years to run on his contract. But his agent, Carlos Goncalves, spent the weekend talking with the PSG owner, Qatari Investment Authority, which has indicated it would be willing to meet a £10m release clause in the head coach's contract. Villas-Boas has been on holiday in the Bahamas and has yet to indicate what his intentions are for next season but Spurs believe their ambitious plans to revamp the squad will persuade him to remain at the club.

Franco Baldini has already been recruited as technical director, an appointment Villas-Boas had championed and which will come into effect this month, and attempts at bolstering the side are ongoing. Spurs have bid £14.5m for the Brazil midfielder Paulinho, of Corinthians, who is also wanted by Internazionale, and are edging closer to securing his compatriot, Leandro Damião, from Internacional.

Their arrival would go some way towards complying with the head coach's wishes for significant additions, expressed last month once Spurs had narrowly failed to qualify for the Champions League. The Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, is convinced such a show of strength will be enough to retain the 35-year-old.

Spurs will also attempt to trim their squad, with Fenerbahce having expressed a desire to sign Emmanuel Adebayor, whose first full campaign following a successful loan spell at White Hart Lane yielded only five league goals. The Togo forward cost around £5m from Manchester City and the club will seek a similar fee from the ambitious Turkish side, who have turned to Adebayor after being frustrated in their pursuit of Benfica's prolific forward, Oscar Cardozo.

Dominic Fifield

Udinese reject bid for Matej Vydra from ‘unnamed Premier League club’

Kevin McCauley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:59:11 +0000

Sorry for the consecutive Debbie Downer articles, kids, but the stuff that's coming out today is mostly stuff that I do not like. Sky Sports is reporting that Udinese has rejected an £8m bid for striker Matej Vydra from an "unna...

Mulholland drives through heart of Tottenham

spooky — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:28:33 +0000

I don't understand any of it.

Top Ten Potential Replacements For David Luiz At Chelsea

Mark Brus — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:58:39 +0000

Ten players Chelsea could sign if David Luiz is sold this summer.

Check in to Transfer Window: Done Deal Alerts

10. Marquinhos (Roma)

Marcos Aoas Caorrea, more commonly known by his nickname Marquinhos, only moved to European football last summer when he joined Roma from Brazilian side Corinthians. After just one season, he has been one of the best defenders in Serie A, and is already being closely watched by Chelsea and Manchester City.

The 19-year-old is a far more natural defender than his compatriot David Luiz, whom Mourinho is not keen on due to his tendancy to forgo his defensive duties and bomb forward to join the attack. Marquinhos looks much more like Mourinho's kind of player, and has impressed this season with his maturity and discipline.

He is not the tallest for a centre-back, but he looks to have the physical and mental strength to handle the challenge of the Premier League, and would be a great long-term option for Chelsea as he is still very young. As already mentioned, the Blues are known to be monitoring his situation, and may move for him this summer depending on what happens with Luiz and with their other potential targets.

9. Pepe (Real Madrid)

Pepe has developed into one of the world's top centre-backs under the guidance of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Now that the Portuguese coach has left the Bernabeu to return to Stamford Bridge, Pepe might be tempted to follow. Mourinho has been linked with a number of his former players at Real, and though Pepe might not be the best long-term option at the age of 30, his quality and experience would suit Chelsea well.

With Real Madrid being one of the clubs said to be considering a move for Luiz, a swap deal could take place involving these two players, and that would arguably suit both sides best, as Real would be landing themselves a more exciting and versatile player, while Chelsea would get the more solid and reliable option they desire.

Manchester City have also been linked with a move for Pepe this summer, as another former Real Madrid boss, Manuel Pellegrini, is keen to reunite with him at his new post at the Etihad Stadium. He is valued by the Spanish giants at around £20million.

8. Nicolas N'Koulou (Marseille)

Cameroon international Nicolas N'Koulou has emerged as one of the best defenders currently playing in Ligue 1, showing some excellent form this season to guide Marseille to a runners-up spot behind champions PSG. The 23-year-old is a strong, pacey and athletic defender, who can also play at right-back. He has all the qualities to succeed in England, and his versatility and youth will appeal to Mourinho as he looks to build a new team.

The player himself has admitted he is likely to leave Marseille for a bigger club this summer, and they may struggle to keep hold of him as he stalls on a new contract offer and continues to attract interest from the likes of Arsenal, who made enquiries about the player in January. Chelsea were also linked earlier in the year, though it is unknown if they would continue their interest with Mourinho at the helm.

7. Aleksandar Dragovic (Basel)

Aleksandar Dragovic came up against Chelsea in the Europa League semi-finals this year, and though he was on the losing side to the Blues, he had an impressive campaign overall in the competition, producing good performances against Tottenham in the quarter-finals that saw him linked with the club, as well as with their rivals Arsenal.

The 22-year-old Austrian international would certainly be worth considering for Chelsea as well, as they could use not only a replacement for David Luiz if he leaves, but a long-term successor to John Terry in the centre of their defence. Dragovic certainly has the potential to develop into one of the game's top defenders under the guidance of Mourinho, and already has that winning experience with Basel, having won three league titles in a row with the Swiss side.

He may be one of the cheaper options out there in this summer's transfer market, and Chelsea would be wise to beat their rivals to his signing, as he could become a crucial player for whichever side he joins.

6. Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Schalke)

One of, if not the best young defender in the Bundesliga at the moment is 21-year-old Greek international Kyriakos Papadopoulos. Chelsea have supposedly already expressed an interest in the player, and they may have to act fast as he is being eyed up by other big-spending clubs such as PSG and Zenit St Petersburg. AC Milan were also in for him when they sold Thiago Silva.

Needless to say, Papadopoulos is a player with great potential, and he is unlikely to be with Schalke for much longer. Chelsea would be wise to renew their interest in the player, as he already looks like a better option than David Luiz.

As an added bonus, the former Olympiakos man has shown the Luiz-like knack for scoring goals, with an impressive tally of 5 in 2011/12, as well as four in just thirteen appearances for the Greek national team.

5. Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

Another of the finest centre-backs in Europe this season was Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin. The Uruguayan has become a crucial part of Diego Simeone's side, helping them to an impressive third-placed finish in La Liga. No individual player has kept more clean sheets (19) than Godin this season, highlighting his importance to their defensive performances.

Manchester City are said to be keen on the 27-year-old, as new manager Manuel Pellegrini worked with him during their time together at Villareal. Still, Chelsea have the financial power to compete with City, and could certainly do much worse than this solid and intelligent central defender.

He has helped Atletico punch above their weight with wins in the Europa League, Copa Del Rey and the Super Cup, and it could be time for him to show his potential on the bigger stage, and he looks like he could do a fine job for any top club in the Premier League.

4. Ezequiel Garay (Benfica)

Chelsea will have to act fast on this one, as Manchester United are understood to have made great progress in signing the Benfica star. Ezequiel Garay, formerly of Real Madrid, has showed himself to be one of Europe's best centre-backs this season with his performances for the Portuguese side, whom he helped to the Europa League final this year.

Although it was Mourinho who did not give Garay much of a chance in his time at Real Madrid, he has improved since then with regular football, and it would be a big boost for Chelsea to beat their title rivals to the signing of such a quality player. The 26-year-old would cost around £17million and is an Argentine international.

3. Neven Subotic (Borussia Dortmund)

Neven Subotic provided one of the most thrilling moments of this season's Champions League final, as he prevented what looked like a certain goal with an incredible last-ditch goal-line challenge to deny opponents Bayern Munich.

The Serbian international has developed into one of the most solid defenders in the Bundesliga under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, but could be one of many players to leave the club this summer after their failure to win silverware. Although he was beaten in this year's Champions League final, he is a proven winner with two Bundesliga titles, and is still only 24 years old.

Manchester United and Manchester City are said to be interested in him, and he is another perfect candidate to improve Chelsea's back-line if David Luiz leaves the club.

2. Eliaquim Mangala (Porto)

Jose Mourinho is said to be a big fan of Porto youngster Eliaquim Mangala, who is fast becoming recognised as one of the best young defenders in Europe.

The French centre-back has just won his first cap at the age of 22 after a fantastic season with Porto, with whom he won the title. He has insisted he is not currently thinking about his future, but a big move seems inevitable for him sooner rather than later, as he looks made to play at the very highest level.

Mourinho rarely gets it wrong with defenders, and if he is as keen on Mangala as the rumours suggest, with offers close to £30million being mooted, then Chelsea will have themselves a very promising player on their hands next season.

1. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Jose Mourinho handed Raphael Varane his debut for Spanish giants Real Madrid, and looks to have uncovered a real gem, as Varane has shown himself to be another very exciting young defender. Still only 20, he has produced man of the match displays against Barcelona and Lionel Messi this season, looking rock solid for Real at the back.

It seems likely that Mourinho will want to bring this key player with him to his new club, and Varane would also likely want to follow his mentor and continue his development under him. There's no doubt Varane will soon be seen as one of the best centre-backs in the world, and would assure Chelsea of having a quality defence for many years to come.

Real Madrid will be keen to keep hold of their star youngster, but Chelsea should certainly consider requesting him in return for David Luiz, or even put in a big-money offer for him anyway, as he would likely be an improvement on many of the Blues' current options anyway.

Tottenham reportedly after Napoli defender

Kevin McCauley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:46:38 +0000

Federico Fernandez is a very decent player who sometimes gets to play for Argentina, but played a little less often for Napoli after joining them because Walter Mazzarri is kind of nuts. He got loaned to Getafe in the spring and didn'...

Former United player: Moyes should sign Bale

Uncle Menno — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:19:33 +0000

Dispatches from #batcountry is a daily series at Cartilage Free Captain where we examine ridiculous transfer rumors found on the internet and tell you why you shouldn't believe them. Why #batcountry? Because our own author The Sleeper...

Xtra – Spurs fan Jeremy Noseda ready for Royal Ascot

News Feed - News - tottenhamhotspur.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:55:00 +0000

World-renowned horse racing trainer Jeremy Noseda takes his team to Royal Ascot this week – but he’s just as happy swapping his top hat and tails for a Spurs scarf at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham Hotspur Prospect Rankings, #10: Cristian Ceballos

Edward F. — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:38:20 +0000

As some regular readers might be aware, I'm a big enthusiast of 20 year-old former Barcelona starlet Cristian Ceballos, who was one of the breakout stars of the Tottenham U21 team which battled all the way to the inaugural League fina...

James McCarthy is worth £20m

Kevin McCauley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:41:43 +0000

James McCarthy is one of the best young players in Britain. The 22-year-old was arguably Wigan Athletic's best player in a season where they won the FA Cup. They were relegated, yes, but no reasonable person could possibly pin that on...

Spurs XI to face Kingstonian in pre-season

News Feed - News - tottenhamhotspur.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:53:00 +0000

A Spurs XI squad will take on Kingstonian in a pre-season friendly at Kingsmeadow Stadium on Thursday, July 18.

Harry, Pritch play in U20s friendly win

News Feed - News - tottenhamhotspur.com — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:31:00 +0000

Harry Kane and Alex Pritchard both played a half as England Under-20s warmed-up for the World Cup with a 3-0 win in a practice match against Uruguay in Turkey on Sunday.

Joe Kinnear back at Newcastle but does director of football role work?

Tottenham Hotspur | Mail Online — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:25:56 +0000

It may be one of the tried and trusted setups across much of Europe but the director of football role in Britain still remains an enigma that many do not trust.

Botafogo defender Doria being eyed for Tottenham Hotspur Move

Bryan A. — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:22:53 +0000

The papers are in full-on "link Tottenham Hotspur with everyone" mode at this point. Usually, Spurs a linked with just about every player angling for a move in Europe, but this summer, the press have shifted their attentions to player...