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Antonio Conte looks set to raid his former club Chelsea as he sets his sights on bringing N’Golo Kante to Italy.

According to Sport Medisaset (via Evening Standard), the ex-Blues boss is trying to convince the Inter Milan board to fund the Frenchman’s €8m (£7.2m) annual wages. The midfielder reportedly views his time at Stamford Bridge as coming to a close and could be exiting the club this summer.

Despite spending four years in west London and helping Chelsea to Premier League and FA Cup success, Kante looks set to part ways with the Blues. According to an earlier report from The Times, Frank Lampard is willing to let a number of players go in order to fund his lavish transfer shopping list. Chief on that list, of course, is top target Kai Havertz.

Kante’s current Transfermarkt value is £72m, so Inter must be willing to pay a fee in that region if they want to secure his signature. However, there are doubts that the Serie A side will be able to fund his high wages, which break down to about £138,000 per week.

If Inter Milan want to sign Kante, they must act fact as the France international is reportedly a long-time target of Real Madrid (via Daily Mail).

Offloading the 29-year-old will be bittersweet for Chelsea fans as they will lose an incredible talent who has been named PFA Player of the Year, but they could be one step closer to signing Havertz if Kante is sold.

Lampard has a clear vision with where he wants his side to go and he knows the business that he must do in order to get there. The sale of Kante will line the Blues’ pockets with the necessary funds to continue their exciting transition into what promises to be a thrilling 2020/21 season.

Do you think Chelsea should keep or sell Kante, Blues? Join the conversation in the comments below…

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be closing in on the signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg but might they have the wrong man?

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, Spurs are ‘edging closer’ to landing the Saints midfielder after a £15m bid, and despite not meeting their £25m valuation, the club could use Kyle Walker-Peters as bait for the deal.

It’s not the only name that the north Londoners have been linked with for the defensive anchor role, something that is certainly a need given Eric Dier’s switch to central defence.

None of Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso or Tanguy Ndombele are specialists in that sense.

Some of the names mooted with a switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium include Gladbach’s Denis Zakaria, Lille’s Boubakary Soumare and Rennes wonderkid Eduardo Camavinga.

Mourinho’s next lynchpin

Although, the best option could actually be Valencia defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, especially with the La Liga outfit reportedly putting almost their entire squad up for sale – including the Frenchman.

It means Spurs could land themselves a bargain if they choose to make the most of Valencia’s desperate financial situation. He was linked with a €30m (£27m) exit in April, but clearly circumstances have changed drastically.

In fact, Kondogbia seems better primed for a role heralding the back four than Hojbjerg. Yes, the Dane may edge tackle numbers – but only just with 0.1 attempts per game separating the two.

The 27-year-old has managed more interceptions (2.1), fewer fouls (1.1) and times dribbled past (1.2) than Hojbjerg. He’s also more accurate with the ball having notched a passing success rate of 84.1%, even when firing more long balls per game, via WhoScored.

Kondogbia has been likened to Paul Pogba by former Inter boss Frank de Boer whilst he was lauded as a “destroyer” on the Studio Inter podcast.

“Kondogbia is like Pogba. They play the same position. He has to win his personal duels and keep things simple, but he has all the characteristics needed to become a top player. He is still young and has room for improvement. But he is physically strong and has a lot of quality. He has to keep working on details to improve.”

With the south coast side demanding £25m for their former skipper, a move for Kondogbia on the cheap would not just suit Daniel Levy’s tight pockets, but also Mourinho’s system.

AND in other news, Spurs can finally replace Eriksen with “gifted” £10m transfer target…

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘very close’ to completing a deal with Southampton for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, despite the fact that the Saints wanted to sell him to Everton.

That’s according to Bleacher Report, as relayed by Ricky Sacks, who claim Hojbjerg has always wanted to move to Tottenham rather than joining the Toffees.

After Jose Mourinho identified the 33-cap Denmark international as the signing he needs to rebuild the midfield in the summer, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy told the Saints that he was not prepared to pay over the odds for the 25-year-old.

Southampton wanted to sign Kyle Walker-Peters, who is poised to head in the opposite direction, although that played no part in negotiations.

However, it seems that has still worked in their favour, as Spurs will sign the Danish midfielder for £15m, which is a fraction of the price for which the Saints were originally asking.

Sources told the outlet that the Lilywhites are just waiting for payment terms to be concluded this week.

Everton were willing to pay £25m, but the ex-Bayern Munich ace only ever wanted to play for Mourinho.

Meanwhile, Spurs want to offload Serge Aurier to AC Milan and sign a replacement right-back instead, but both clubs remain some way apart in their valuation of the defender.

It is understood that Tottenham want to sell him for roughly £20m. Nevertheless, Milan are not looking to spend more than £13m on the Ivory Coast international.

Mourinho wants to mould the squad in his own image and it seems he is one step closer to doing so as Hojbjerg could become his first summer signing in the coming days.

Tottenham fans, do you think Hojbjerg will be a great signing if the deal is completed? Let us know your views in the comments below!

After starting off the 2019/2020 season as Leeds United’s number one goalkeeper, Kiko Casilla’s campaign ended with him out of the first-team picture and the whole racism controversy hanging over him.

The Whites secured their return to the Premier League without the Spaniard in between the sticks at the end, with Illan Meslier taking his place in the side and enjoying an impressive run – he kept seven clean sheets in the 11 Championship games that he played.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…

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On Saturday afternoon, Casilla was given the chance to impress Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds took on Portuguese side Pacos Ferreira. But whilst they sealed a comfortable 3-1 win, the goalkeeper had a nightmare display.

Pacos’ sole goal of the contest came after the 33-year-old came rushing off his line, only for the player to take it past him and square it across for a tap-in for his team-mate.

And after seeing his performance, Leeds fans took to Twitter to slam the veteran.

A couple of Leeds fans even urged for the club to sell him, with one supporter calling for the Whites to “tear the contract up”.

With Leeds also reported to be interested in Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, it feels like Casilla’s time as first-choice shot-stopper at Elland Road is coming to an end.

His howler against Pacos has definitely not done him any favours with Bielsa looking on, and it’s difficult to see past Meslier starting the opening fixture against Liverpool in the Premier League.

And judging by the reaction of some of these Leeds fans, there won’t be too many tears shed at Casilla’s era being over.

Coventry City target Nathan Trott is set to have his West Ham United future addressed, with the London club assessing loan offers for the goalkeeper, according to the Daily Mail.

Sky Blues manager Mark Robins has followed up his League One title win and promotion to the Championship with plentiful transfer business. Eight new faces have arrived at the club, with the likes of Gustavo Hamer arriving from PEC Zwolle and Ben Sheaf coming in from Arsenal.

After losing to Bristol City on the opening day of the league season, Coventry could look to bring in some more new faces before the transfer window closes, and a recent link to Trott has re-emerged.

With Coventry interested, it has now been claimed that West Ham have already decided that Trott will not be moving to the Championship outfit, with Robins said to be keen on him providing back-up for Marko Marosi.

The Sky Blues’ Championship rivals Derby are among the other clubs said to be interested in the 21-year-old, along with Doncaster Rovers and Shrewsbury Town.

The England Under-21 international has two years left on his contract at the London Stadium and offers from a variety of clubs are now being assessed by West Ham.

Whilst it would be a good move for Trott to join Coventry in the Championship, West Ham obviously want him to have first team experience and regular playing time in east London.

Therefore, it looks as if Robins will have to look elsewhere for fresh backup to Marosi as his first-choice ‘keeper.

Do you think Trott would have made a good signing for Coventry? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham are interested in signing Arsenal defender Calum Chambers in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested the Hammers are very keen on luring Burnley defender James Tarkowski to the London Stadium, but they have failed to see numerous bids convince the Clarets to let the England international go.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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Now, TEAMtalk claim that David Moyes’ side are one of a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing Chambers, and that Arsenal are trying to move him on in this window.

The report adds the Hammers could face competition from the likes of Leeds, Fulham and Newcastle, whilst he has a price tag of £12m on his head.

Perfect Tarkowski alternative

Whilst West Ham continue to keep their attentions on trying to seal a big-money deal for Tarkowski, a move for Chambers could provide them with a quality alternative to the Burnley man.

Like Tarkowski, Chambers is an England international, and barring a some unfortunate luck with injuries, could arguably have gotten far more than his three caps.

Even despite seemingly being on the scene for a number of years now, Chambers remains only 25, and a run of consistent games in the first-team could see him really kick on. Last year saw him feature 18 times across all competitions for the Gunners, including starting in two of Mikel Arteta’s first three games in charge.

Able to play at centre-back, right-back and even in holding midfield, he’s as versatile as they come, with his former boss at Fulham, Claudio Ranieri, waxing lyrical about him. He said: “I spoke with Scott Parker and he told me he could play there.I believe he is a very good midfielder, he’s intelligent tactically which is good for the team, and it’s good for me to have this kind of player. He linked the defensive line and the forwards very well. He has good movement, he’s very attentive.”

At just £12m, Chambers could be a relative steal for West Ham.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are ready to battle Everton in the race to sign Ben Godfrey in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Norwich defender was a permanent fixture in the starting line-up for the Canaries last season as they suffered relegation from the Premier League, making 33 appearances across all competitions.

Now, it looks like the 22-year-old is set for a move away from Carrow Road, with both the Magpies and Everton keen to ensure he stays in the top-flight.

Football Insider claim that Steve Bruce’s side are preparing to make their own offer to Norwich in order to prise him away, despite having a number of centre-backs already on the books at St James’ Park.

Imagine him and Lascelles

An England U21 international, Godfrey was one of the more impressive performers in a Norwich side that finished rock bottom in the Premier League last season.

As per Sofascore, he won a mammoth 60% of his individual duels last season, and was equally strong in possession too, boasting a pass accuracy of 88% – the perfect centre-back for the modern game.

His former manager, Alex Neill, described him as “aggressive” and that “he can use the ball well”, whilst Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand name-checked him as one of the young players to watch out for earlier this year.

Whilst he may not be the tallest centre-back around at just 6 foot, his skills seem like they would be an excellent compliment alongside Magpies skipper Jamaal Lascelles.

Last season, the 26-year-old averaged 1.2 interceptions and 4.8 clearances per game, but didn’t show the kind of ball-playing qualities that Godfrey has in his locker – Newcastle’s more direct approach saw him average just 28 passes per match (20 less than that of the Norwich man).

The best centre-back partnerships are always the one where the players can cover for each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and in Godfrey, Newcastle can find someone who looks tailor-made to slot in alongside Lascelles.

Chelsea fans were devastated to discover that their new signing Edouard Mendy picked up an injury while on international duty.

The 28-year-old recently arrived in Central London from French outfit Rennes for £22m and has only made one Premier League appearance, which was during his side’s 4-0 victory against Crystal Palace.

According to the Senegalese FA, cited by Sky Sports, Mendy suffered a thigh injury during training and could be out during a crucial run of fixtures for Frank Lampard’s side.

Chelsea are due to play Southampton after the international break on October 17th before they are due to face Sevilla in the first Champions League matchday of the 2020/21 campaign.

Kepa Arizzabalaga would be expected to step in for the injured Mendy but is not a popular figure amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful after making a series of calamitous errors in recent months.

The prospect of the £71m goalkeeper was almost too much to bear for these supporters down below, who made their feelings clear when they discovered the news.

Chelsea fans mourn Mendy’s expected absence

Steven Gerrard must trust Glasgow Rangers left-back Calvin Bassey to fill the void left by Borna Barisic’s potential injury, when the Light Blues face Livingston at Ibrox in their first game in the Scottish Premiership since the Old Firm derby.

Gerrard’s side suffered an injury blow as Barisic limped off in the 2-0 win over Standard Liege in the Europa League just before the break. He got up gingerly to his feet and managed to walk to the sidelines, but he appeared to be suffering some discomfort.

Barisic has become a mainstay in the first team ever since he arrived at the Ibrox outfit, with the left-footed defender making 10 appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season. The Rangers boss’ trust has been repaid as the Croatia international has scored a goal and supplied four assists so far, via Transfermarkt.  And Gerrard confirmed he is a doubt for the clash with Livingston.

He said: “My only concern at the moment is Barisic. I’d say he’s a doubt right now. We’re going to image him as a precaution this afternoon. It’s not a big problem. There’s a chance he could pull through but we’ll check it out this afternoon.”

If the rumours are true and Gerrard is forced to ring a change, the Liverpool legend must look to hand Bassey his first start for the club since the 5-1 win over Motherwell last month, having been impressed by his “outstanding” performance against Standard Liege on Thursday night.

Bassey has shown he is hungry to learn and develop as a player, which is something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Gerrard, who admitted the 20-year-old has given him a lot to think about for the weeks ahead.

“I thought he was outstanding. For someone who has very little experience. To come into a game of that level and perform like he did. I’m really proud of his performance,” Gerrard said, via Glasgow Live.

“Fantastic kid. A kid who wants to learn, who wants to grow and evolve. In time we’re confident we can help polish him up and make him even better than he is.

“He’s got really interesting attributes right now and he showed them last night which was fantastic to see.

“He’s in a real good place and he’s ready. That’s the key thing. Every time he’s been called upon since he walked in he’s been ready and he’s produced.”

Gerrard has lots of reasons why fans should be excited by Bassey’s performances in the domestic and European competitions. Per SofaScore, he has averaged 1.5 tackles per game in the Scottish Premiership this season so far. By contrast, Barisic is only managed 0.8 tackles per game in the Scottish top flight, via SofaScore.

SofaScore also gave Bassey a high grade of 7 for his efforts against Standard Liege – he made two tackles, one clearance and one interception, whilst he also won five out of his seven duels and wasn’t dribbled past at all – a measure of his defensive strength.

Despite his young age, the Englishman is already showing glimpses of his obvious potential, which is exactly what his former teammate at Leicester City, James Maddison, was talking about when he first moved to Ibrox in the summer. The England international wished him good luck on his official Instagram post and described him as “some player.”

Now, he just needs to be playing regularly in order to continue his development. What better way to show what you can do than by stepping in for Barisic against Livingston?

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers striker Kemar Roofe steals the show against Standard Liege…

Crystal Palace have suffered from an inconsistent start to the season, but one player has stood out from the rest. And no, we’re not talking about Wilfried Zaha.

What’s the word?

That’s right folks, we’re talking about Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell. According to the club’s website, Palace TV is launching an exclusive mini-documentary which will cover his career so far, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look into his daily life.

In spite of all of this, his contract is still set to expire in 2021. And Dan Cook has recently discussed the uncertainty surrounding his future at Selhurst Park on an episode of the HLTCO podcast, insisting “the vultures will begin to circle,” as quoted by This is Futbol. So, Palace chief Steve Parish must convince the academy graduate to sign a new contract at all costs.

Better than Wan-Bissaka?

Palace have produced a number of youngsters over the years that have gone on to achieve big things and it’s fair to say that the 21-year-old is a player who could fall into that bracket if they aren’t too careful.

Mitchell has made six appearances in the Premier League so far, whilst he has played in every single minute of the competition prior to his absence against Wolves, having broken into the first team towards the end of last season.

Per WhoScored, he is averaging a staggering 4 tackles and 2.3 clearances per game in the English top flight, via WhoScored. By comparison, Manchester United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is one year older than his countryman, has only managed 2.8 tackles in the Premier League so far, via WhoScored.

Whilst it would be a bit too much of a reach to suggest that Mitchell is a better player, it does seem as though the signs are already starting to show if these statistics are anything to go by.

Once lauded as an “excellent” player by Palace boss Roy Hodgson, Mitchell has been recently described as something akin to a “silent assassin” by his former U16s coach Anthony Hayes.

With the more experienced veteran Patrick van Aanholt only recently returning from a spell on the sidelines, the youngster has been the club’s first-choice left-back in recent weeks. And the £4.5m-rated ace must be rewarded with a new and improved deal, otherwise the Eagles may regret letting him leave for free if they cannot convince him to sign an extension.

AND in other news, Roy Hodgson must unleash Crystal Palace ace Eberechi Eze against Wolves…