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According to Sky Sports, Serie A giants Napoli ‘could start moving’ for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko ‘in the coming days’ – with the Frenchman now a firm target.

The Lowdown: Mass Spurs exodus?

Spurs will need to offload players before they can start to seriously move for signings this summer.

Due to the pandemic, which has severely impacted finances at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it is reliably reported that Spurs are planning to bolster their transfer kitty by means of selling (Alasdair Gold).

The likes of Serge Aurier, Erik Lamela, Harry Winks, Dele Alli and even Lucas Moura have been mentioned as possible candidates for the Lilywhites chopping block (football.london).

Sissoko is also a likely sale, with Sky now sharing this latest development.

The Latest: Sissoko attracting interest…

As explained by Sky, Napoli are now seriously eyeing the 31-year-old and could even ‘start moving’ for the player.

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The outlet says they could swoop in the ‘coming days’, with club chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis now targeting Sissoko alongside Benfica ace Nuno Tavares and Fortuna Sittard maestro Zian Flemming.

Indeed, Sissoko could also be an ‘important reinforcement’ for Napoli this summer.

The Verdict: Get rid…

Operating under severe financial constraints, Spurs need to take advantage and sell surplus-to-requirements players wherever possible.

Napoli’s fresh interest represents a golden opportunity to offload a player who arguably doesn’t hold that much market value – especially having entered his 30s.

Sissoko has been a good servant for Spurs, making 202 appearances for the club since signing from Newcastle in 2016, but we believe his time is up in north London and this is a move that the club should be happy to facilitate.

In other news: Spurs now want to sign this ‘excellent’ ace who Shearer called ‘fearless’ – find out more here.

Aston Villa are set to face a battle against numerous other clubs to secure the permanent signing for loanee Philippe Coutinho with the Brazilian set to leave Barcelona for good this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Birmingham Live, Villa have an option to buy Coutinho for £33m at the end of the season, although the deal is believed to be more complicated than that.

On the situation, manager Steven Gerrard said last month: “It’s more complicated than people think… the option is there. If it was my money, I think you know the answer.”

However, the Mirror claim that Barcelona have doubts over the West Midlands club’s ability to provide the necessary funds to take on the 29-year-old permanently.

It is also believed that Premier League rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United are keen, with the latter “ready” to pay the winger’s £425,000k-per-week salary, according to the Mirror.

Villa must secure permanent Coutinho deal

Already the effects of having Coutinho in Gerrard’s side are evident, with the Brazilian scoring four goals and registering three assists in 12 Premier League appearances for the Villans.

To put that into context, the 29-year-old is already the West Midlands club’s joint-fourth top goalscorer this term having joined in early January.

Premier League fans were already aware of the winger’s brilliance after his spell at Liverpool whilst also featuring regularly for Brazil.

Across club and country, Coutinho has netted a whopping 125 career strikes and has received a plethora of praise from numerous names over the years with former Liverpool and current Brazil teammate Roberto Firmino labelling the Villa loanee as “phenomenal” and insisting that “he has magical powers.”

Villa’s season has been somewhat of a disappointment, with Gerrard’s men currently 15th in the Premier League, although they do have two games in hand on some sides, there will undoubtedly be plans for an ambitious transfer window.

The West Midlands outfit have already been linked with the likes of Yves Bissouma and Kalvin Phillips and are set to spend big this summer.

Having already lured Coutinho to Villa Park on a temporary basis, there shouldn’t be any issue convincing the 29-year-old to stay permanently after an excellent start to life in claret and blue.

Moreover, contrary to reports, a £33m fee seems a bargain and one that isn’t out of the question for Villa, having spent a club-record £38m on Emi Buendia last summer.

Granted, there will be more attractive propositions for the Brazilian and therefore Gerrard and NSWE must do whatever they can to secure a permanent stay for the Villa star.

AND in other news: Cost £0, now worth £19.8m: Villa struck gold on £15k-p/w gem who “demands attention” 

West Bromwich Albion host their arch-rivals in what could be a pivotal Black Country derby later this evening.

It is a must-win game for Sam Allardyce’s men as they sit 11 points adrift of safety with only five games left to play, so a defeat would all but confirm their relegation back to the Championship.

The 66-year-old, who is yet to have such a dismal feat on his CV, will have to get his team selection spot on and they will be buoyed by the fact that they defeated Wolves when the two teams last met.

After turning a corner defensively since the January transfer window slammed shut, the Baggies have looked awfully susceptible at the back once again, leaking five goals in their last two outings.

The right-side of Big Sam’s back four looked particularly weak in both matches, so the Albion boss must consider a change there with Darnell Furlong surely facing the axe.

The 25-year-old has been inconsistent throughout the campaign, grading as their ninth-best player (6.65) as per WhoScored ratings but in these last two games, he has performed below that mean, picking up a disastrous 6.06 against Leicester City and a 6.61 last time out against Villa.

Against the Foxes, he was particularly wasteful in possession, losing the ball a whopping 25 times – comfortably the most on the pitch – and making only 36% of his 25 passes, as per SofaScore.

This was then repeated at Villa Park, where the former QPR star made just eight passes throughout 90 minutes on the pitch. That’s just one every 11 minutes.

BirminghamLive’s Joseph Chapman claimed that he struggled with the threat on offer by Anwar El Ghazi, and that could happen again with the likes of Adama Traore and Daniel Podence at Nuno Santo’s disposal.

The Baggies cannot afford to keep leaking goals when there is so much ground to cover in so little time. Perhaps it would be a wiser decision to opt for the more defensively sound Dara O’Shea, who is versatile enough to play through the middle and on the right.

Ex-Albion boss Slaven Bilic, who handed the young Irishman his debut, heaped praise on him, once claiming: “Dara is the future, and he can be present. Dara is one of the reasons why when I came to the club we didn’t sign another defender,” via BirminghamLive.

Furlong is currently holding West Brom back, so Big Sam must look to show no mercy and axe the £9m-rated right-back this evening.

AND in other news, “I’ve heard”: Pundit drops West Brom managerial claim, Dowling will surely be buzzing…

Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Gorst thinks it will be ‘after the September international break’ that Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez start Premier League games for Liverpool. 

The lowdown

Van Dijk and Gomez both made their first appearance following long-term injuries in Liverpool’s pre-season defeat to Hertha Berlin on Thursday. They were given a run-out for the final 20 minutes of the game.

Van Dijk hadn’t played since suffering a cruciate ligament injury away to Everton back in October, while it was Gomez’s first outing since the November international break when he sustained a patella tendon rupture.

Joel Matip has started the Reds’ last two friendlies alongside new £36million signing Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool open the season away to newly-promoted Norwich City on 14 August and face Burnley and Chelsea before the season’s first international window.

The latest

Gorst believes the pair will make two more appearances in pre-season. Jurgen Klopp’s side have pencilled in two 60-minute games against Serie A side Bologna on Thursday before facing Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna at Anfield on consecutive days.

Though they are in the ‘final stages of the rehab process’, Gorst would be surprised if Van Dijk and Gomez were ‘trusted to start’ any of the first few league matches.

The verdict

The partnership of Konate and Matip, if it’s needed for those early games, hardly represents a massive downgrade downgrade. Matip is world-class when fit, while Konate is a rising star signed for the type of fee you would expect to pay for a regular starter.

In an ideal world, though, the youngster would have been integrated into the starting XI more slowly as he adapts to a new league. He’s being thrown straight in at the deep end, particularly if he starts against a sure-fire title contender in the form of Chelsea.

But ultimately, Liverpool can’t afford to take any risks with their returnees, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Gorst’s assessment is spot on.

In other news, this man was praised by fans for his impressive display against Hertha. 

Aston Villa announced on Wednesday that they are set to launch a $AVL Fan Token with Socios.

However, the news didn’t go down well with a number of Villa supporters who took to social media to vent their frustrations.

Villa confirmed that each member and season-ticket holder will be entitled to a free $AVL Fan Token in the coming weeks.

However, if you are not a Villa member or season-ticket holder, tokens come at a cost of £2 and are described as a ‘collectible digital asset’.

Fans will be able to participate in polls, get involved in quizzes and competitions to earn Villa-related rewards such as merchandise.

Villa fans react

Villa confirmed the news regarding their partnership with Socios on their official Twitter page on Wednesday.

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many not happy and one describing it as ‘awful’, presumably due to the club engaging with a cryptocurrency brand.

“This is the biggest own goal since Xia bought the club. Anyone with an ounce of sense will steer well clear and the club have severely underestimated the fans by getting into bed with @socios. A bit of fan engagement before doing so would have shown you WE DO NOT WANT THIS.”Credit: @_D0UBLE_H”this is absolutely awful!!”Credit: @dvtavfc”Terrible idea. Hate the whole premise of this. Please reconsider this approach”Credit: @LLCooolA”Very disappointed Villa. No matter how you dress it up, this is not a good thing. Your first misstep of this era.”Credit: @JPricey007″Gross. I hate it”Credit: @StevieGreenXI”Bad move Villa, fairly sure the replies can tell you all you need to know. Fan engagement at a cost of fleecing the loyal fanbase. We don’t recognise the $ here.”Credit: @CraigJ1S

In other news: Smith now willing to cash in on two Villa players before the end of the window. 

Just when you thought Wolves’ season was coming to a close without much drama, the club were rocked with some disastrous news on Friday afternoon.

They were dealt a major blow when it was announced that Nuno Espirito Santo would step down from his role as the club’s manager after their final game of the season on Sunday.

What’s the word?

Nuno has been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal since Wolves were promoted to the Premier League but this reveal came as a big shock.

The 47-year-old seemed to be stable in his job at Molineux, working well with Fosun to establish the Old Gold in the Premier League. He had taken them from mid-table in the Championship to a Europa League quarter-final within the space of three years.

The reason for his departure is up for debate but one source suggests that it could be down to the financial power Wolves are currently lacking.

Taking to Twitter, reporter Leah Smith shared a scary update on the club’s future. She wrote: “Spoke with one source just now about this news who suggested Wolves’ lack of funds probably prompted NES’ decision to leave. No money to spend and an expected summer of one way activity. Bleak.”

Fans should be seething

If seeing Nuno leave wasn’t bad enough, for Wolves fans to see that they have no real war chest to spend this summer will be incredibly disappointing.

After all, the club have been pillaged by a number of injuries this season, and without some of their star players, they’ve crumbled to a bottom half finish.

And we all know, that player injuries and team changes are one of the overall aspects that are considered to influence the sports betting odds. Some bookmakers and online casinos make a big deal about this, as it can change the way bets are placed on a certain game outcomes. To find the fastest payout casino with the highest betting odds can be a difficult task. Before wagering, it would be best to have all the right information, that it why fans usually check all possible sports accumulators and compare odds daily after knowing about a certain injury.”

Therefore, spending money to strengthen the club’s first team options was more than a requirement; it was an absolute necessity for Wolves to get back to Europe.

Tim Spiers revealed this week that the Molineux outfit had desires of strengthening the options available to the first team but, with a lack of money in order to do so, the quality of player coming in will be limited.

This is equally frustrating when you consider how poorly Jeff Shi and the Wolves chiefs spent last summer.

They shelled out £35.6m on Fabio Silva, who has scored just four goals since arriving in the Midlands. He may have plenty of potential but it feels like it’ll be another few years before that’s extracted fully.

Wolves also spent £27.6m on Nelson Semedo, who has been a liability from a defensive point of view this season.

Had Wolves spent more wisely last summer in the midst of a global pandemic, they may now been in a more vibrant position going into the transfer market in 2021.

Instead, they may have to cash in on the likes of Pedro Neto and Adama Traore in a few months’ time. Both of them have been linked with big-money switches to Manchester United and Leeds respectively.

Based on this update, it looks as though Wolves supporters may have to settle for more mediocrity. This can’t have been the way they thought they’d be losing Nuno, and the Molineux faithful shouldn’t be best pleased.

AND in other news, Wolves intend to buy “unpredictable” 23-goal Mendes client, he’s an upgrade on Podence…

Football Insider pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to Celtic’s interest in Sheffield United full-back George Baldock.

The Lowdown: Baldock links

Celtic were linked with a move for the Blades defender back in 2019 following Sheffield United’s promotion to the Premier League.

As we know, a deal never materialised, even though Baldock was thought to be keen on a Parkhead switch.

The 28-year-old has since gone on to make 70 Premier League appearances and has once again been linked with the Hoops.

According to The Daily Record, the right-back is again on Celtic’s radar and is high on the club’s wishlist when it comes to full-back additions.

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The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts

Hutton was talking to Football Insider regarding Celtic’s interest in Baldock.

He described the defender as ‘very tough’ and believed both Celtic fans and Ange Postecoglou would like him.

“Technically, he’s very good. Great engine, gets up and down and great delivery.

“He’s got Premier League experience, Championship experience, he’s kind of got it all. I have played against him, I know him well and he is a very tough customer.

“I think someone like that coming in would be absolutely ideal. It’s a position where they need to strengthen. Obviously, Jonjoe Kenny came in and did okay.

“I don’t think it was ever going to be a permanent deal to begin with, he didn’t really set the heather alight. To bring in the likes of Baldock, he’s got that hard work mentality.

“I think that’s what Postecoglou likes within his team listening to his interviews.

“He is one I think the Celtic fans would like there. I think the manager would like him. It could be a top signing if they can get it done.”

The Verdict: A smart target

Celtic will need to add to their right-back ranks after losing both Jeremie Frimpong and Hatem Elhamed this year.

Jonjoe Kenny has returned to Everton following his temporary stay, so Anthony Ralston is the club’s only senior right-back on the books at this moment in time.

Baldock is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt but has just 12 months left on his Bramall Lane deal, and following Sheffield United’s relegation, could perhaps be open to a Glasgow switch once again.

He’ll certainly bring plenty of experience, should he move north, and you’d think he still has a lot to give at the age of 28.

Hutton is a fan, so it’ll be interesting to see who Celtic bring in at right-back over the coming months.

In other news: Report claims Brendan Rodgers recruit has now departed Celtic; Hoops didn’t even share news with fans, find out more here. 

German journalist Christian Falk has claimed that Newcastle have ‘seriously discussed’ a move for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.

The Lowdown: Coutinho rumours

Spanish outlet Sport claimed last week that the Magpies, under new owners PIF, are eyeing a possible swoop for the Brazilian in January.

Reports suggested that Barcelona would want at least €50m (£42.5m) for his services, with the 29-year-old happy about the possibility of returning to England.

Coutinho, on £383,000-a-week last year, has just over 18 months remaining on his Nou Camp deal, and Falk has weighed in with his knowledge of a potential New Year transfer.

The Latest: Falk’s tweet

Falk, head of football at Bild, took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to address the rumours of Coutinho moving to St James’ Park.

He labelled them ‘true’, adding that a transfer has been ‘seriously discussed’.

The Verdict: Look elsewhere

Even though money appears to be the least of the worries for Newcastle’s new owners, they still need to spend it wisely.

Coughing up a fee over £40m for a player whose market valuation has plummeted from £135m to £18m in three years might not be the best idea to kick off their tenure in charge.

Coutinho has also contributed to just four league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, so Newcastle might be better off looking elsewhere for a marquee signing.

In other news: Offer pending: Newcastle now make contact to sign £36m-rated beast Rodgers dubbed ‘colossal’. 

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to make it three on the trot in the Premier League this afternoon but standing in their way is an in-form West Ham United, who have home comforts at the London Stadium.

Nuno Santo’s men were beaten embarrassingly in the Netherlands by Vitesse on Thursday night, so the Portuguese will be wanting a reaction in this crunch match.

Spurs have defeated Aston Villa and Newcastle United in their last two domestic outings but the Irons represent a tougher test as they could leapfrog them with a win today.

Both teams are vying for a spot in the top-six, with the Lilywhites narrowly holding the edge at this stage.

It means Nuno has to get his team selection absolutely spot on if they are to extend their fine form in the English top-flight.

And with that in mind, he ought to stick with what has been working, particularly in the final third as they have scored five goals in their last two matches, more than they managed in the six previous games.

That means it should be Tanguy Ndombele sitting in the no.10 role over the likes of Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso, who both were underwhelming in the midweek defeat.

Once described as “unplayable” by ex-goalkeeper Joe Hart, the 24-year-old has the capability to be a “world-beater” on his day. Indeed, he offers the Lilywhites something they do not possess in any other player, that being a dumbfounded technical ability.

Ndombele is able to drive the ball forward with his gifted dribbling skills and passing – as per WhoScored, he’s averaged 2.5 dribbles per game, whilst only three other players see more of the ball than him, having also averaged 40.3 passes per league outing too.

This sort of presence was seen first-hand last weekend when the £26m-rated French dynamo not only landed himself on the scoresheet but was also Spurs’ star man, earning a match-high 8.21 rating.

He won them three free-kicks, managed four successful dribbles and enjoyed an impressive 92.4% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Ndombele lost some of his closest friends during the Lilywhites’ summer exodus, with both Serge Aurier and fellow countryman Moussa Sissoko moving onto pastures new. This led to speculation over his future in north London but he’s still here and very much starting to deliver as club-record signing should.

Nuno has been praised for his trust in the midfield maverick, too.

“I thought he was brilliant against Newcastle,” claimed ex-Premier League striker Noel Whelan to Football Insider. “Even when he went in at the start of the season asking to leave the club, the manager kept the faith in him. He’s fought back and shut a few people up with his performances.”

He then added: “It was a quality 90 minutes and a really well-taken goal. He could be a real key player for them this season.”

After being absent in midweek, it should be time to bring Ndombele back into the starting XI. He has the capability of really hurting an Irons side that have appeared to be very resolute in the past week, keeping back-to-back clean sheets.

Nuno must start the French beast at the London Stadium today.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal Spurs’ biggest signing since Son with “complete” £27m-rated beast…

West Ham United face losing out on one of their mooted summer transfer targets…

What’s the word?

Back in May, Football League World revealed that the Irons were among several Premier League clubs stepping up interest in Bournemouth star Arnaut Danjuma, but now it appears that they are lagging behind in the race to secure him.

According to The Sun, La Liga outfit Villarreal are the front-runners to sign the 24-year-old, despite interest from the English top flight.

It’s thought that Unai Emery’s Yellow Submarines had a £13m bid rejected earlier in the month, with the Cherries remaining firm over their £35m asking price, although they are open to a sale for the right amount.

Time to act

If the Hammers can get back in the battle to land Danjuma’s signature, then David Moyes could well unearth his next Jarrod Bowen.

The Dutchman excelled in the Championship as Bournemouth’s attempts to seal an instant return to the big time fell in the play-offs. As per Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old provided 17 goals and seven assists on their way to that promotion near miss.

He appears to be a player capable of the spectacular and is able to terrify defences with his rapid pace and ability to cut inside.

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This was something to which former Cherries boss Jonathan Woodgate alluded during that run-in as he told reporters, via the Bournemouth Echo: “He seems in a good place. He’s confident. He’s working really, really hard for the team now, which I think is important,.”

Woodgate later added: “Sometimes when games are 0-0 and it’s tough and it’s really tight in games, that’s when you rely on people like Arnie, Junior (Stanislas), Dominic Solanke to produce moments of magic. All three can do that.”

Indeed, Danjuma’s 1.8 dribbles per game in 2020/21 was only surpassed by the hardly-seen Arthur Masuaku (2.4) at West Ham, whilst he attempted more shots (2.1) per game than Bowen and Said Benrahma.

Moyes hit the jackpot with his bold gamble on the former Hull ace, with Bowen registering 19 goal contributions in 53 appearances for the Irons, and he could well repeat such exploits with a move for the £13.5m-rated dynamo, although it’s now on the Scotsman to urge GSB to act, with Villarreal leading the charge for the 24-year-old’s signaure.

AND in other news, Moyes must urge West Ham swoop for “full-blooded” 22-goal beast who stunned Euro 2020…