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Tottenham Hotspur are unlikely to appoint a new manager until the summer, though one name has emerged as a primary candidate…

Tottenham manager news – Fabrizio Romano provides Julian Nagelsmann update

The Telegraph recently revealed that Julian Nagelsmann was a key target for the north London outfit, having been sacked by Bayern Munich only last month.

Now, renowned transfer guru and journalist Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the situation, claiming that while a move is far from close, he is among chairman Daniel Levy's shortlist.

He told Caught Offside:

"Tottenham have Julian Nagelsmann in their list alongside other candidates, for sure; but nothing is advanced or decided yet.

"Daniel Levy will take his time to make final decision, the board/directors situation also has to be clarified after Fabio Paratici resigned; this is a crucial step to decide on the new manager.

"Nagelsmann is not in a hurry to decide his future."

Will Nagelsmann become Spurs manager this summer?

Many around N17 have pined for the return of Mauricio Pochettino over the last few months but with much of the same playing squad still contracted, it's hard to envisage anything being different to the end of his tenure at the club.

Naglesmann, meanwhile, could offer a similar philosophy but one that can inject this lifeless outfit with some fresh impetus.

His favoured counter-attacking 4-2-3-1 system is similar to that of the Argentine's prime Spurs side, with the full-backs given license to bomb forward, thanks to the defensive stability in the engine room.

The wingers, such as Heung-min Son, become equally crucial as they come inside to support the sole striker and getting the South Korean closer to his talismanic partner Harry Kane will surely reap rewards.

This is perhaps why former Newcastle United and West Ham United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has hailed the German as a perfect candidate for Tottenham.

"I think Nagelsmann is a good fit," he told ESPN. "I don’t know what it would cost and whether he would want it, but I think Nagelsmann would be a good fit for Spurs. Given his experiences at Bayern, he would deal with the difficulties of Daniel Levy."

His youthful age, at least in coaching terms, is more of a positive than a negative as he's able to truly connect better with his players with his "awesome" and "outstanding mentality," according to Sky Germany reporter Philipp Hinze, who has also hailed him as a "mastermind."

That mix of player management and tactical nous is exactly what Tottenham's next manager needs to have, with Antonio Conte perhaps falling short in both regards on numerous occasions.

Having departed the Bavarian giants with an impressive 71.4% win rate and an average of 2.31 points-per-game, via Transfermarkt, there will be few better candidates available on the managerial market this summer, so it's on Levy and his staff to make the right offer to lure the 35-year-old to north London.

Given the evidence above, he could indeed be the breath of fresh air that the club desperately needs to move forward. He completely transformed RB Leipzig as a club and now Spurs could be the next to undergo an on-pitch makeover under the eye-catching stewardship of Nagelsmann.

Tottenham Hotspur have set their sights on signing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka and are set to make him a contract offer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Will Tottenham sign a defender this summer?

It appears likely that Tottenham will be in the market for a new defender in the summer, and it has been reported they are in talks with Barcelona about making Clement Lenglet's stay permanent, having recently advanced in negotiations.

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi has also emerged as a potential target, although they are only willing to pay £45m for the defender, which is £20m below his valuation, while they are said to have lodged enquiries about Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres.

Back in February, it was reported that Spurs are set to prioritise the signing of a left-sided defender this summer, and they now look to have identified a key target to strengthen in that area, as they are set to make a move for Ndicka.

According to a report from Football Insider, the 23-year-old is set to leave Frankfurt upon the expiration of his £12k-per-week contract this summer, potentially opening the door for a move to north London.

The Lilywhites are not the only Premier League club interested in signing the Frenchman, however, with Liverpool joining Spurs as the two sides who set to make a contract proposals at the end of the campaign.

The centre-back is said to fit the ideal profile for both Tottenham and Liverpool, particularly if the north London club are unable to agree terms with Barcelona for Lenglet.

Should Tottenham sign Evan Ndicka?

There are some indications the 6 foot 3 colossus would be a real improvement on Lenglet, given that he has averaged far more blocks, interceptions and aerials won per 90 than his compatriot over the course of the past year.

Not only that, but the Paris-born defender is also available on a free transfer, while the Barcelona loanee could set Spurs back around €14m (£12.5m) in the summer.

Ndicka is more competent defensively than Lenglet, and he is also solid in possession of the ball, having been hailed as "technically gifted" by former Frankfurt sporting director Fredi Bovic.

Spurs' defensive shortcomings have let them down on multiple occasions this season, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last six Premier League games, conceding three goals against both Southampton and Bournemouth.

As such, a new defender will undoubtedly be needed in the summer, and Ndicka would be a real upgrade on Lenglet.

Presenter and YouTuber Conor McGilligan has suggested that Wilfried Gnonto has not been playing as he may have fallen out with Leeds United manager Javi Gracia, as opposed to an apparent injury.

What's the latest injury news for Leeds and Wilfried Gnonto?

The talented winger has not been able to secure regular minutes since the Spaniard took charge and hasn't started any of the club's last four league matches.

In part, that has been due to injury, but in that run, Gnonto only missed the trip to Arsenal – and has been in the matchday squad for the three games since, playing just 33 minutes in that time.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Premier League trip to Fulham, Gracia explained why the 19-year-old hasn't been playing much, telling LeedsLive: "Gnonto is ready. He had a little issue, he had some problem, now he's ready. He's training from the last few weeks and in the beginning when he came back, it's true that I tried to protect him a little bit, but now he's ready and available."

It's certainly interesting to hear the 52-year-old admit he has been deliberately not playing Gnonto to "protect him", though this seems to have left McGilligan suspicious.

Indeed, while talking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, the podcaster claimed that there may be an issue between the player and the manager.

He said: "I am maybe a little bit more dubious as to whether or not Willy Gnonto has this injury that has kept him out.

"Maybe that's me being a little bit curious and a little bit hypothetical a bit about the scenario. Hopefully I'm wrong and it is just down to an injury, but I do feel that maybe a little bit more has gone on there between Willy and Gracia."

Have Gracia and Gnonto fallen out?

Earlier in the season, Gnonto – who earns £20k per week – had established himself as a regular under former boss Jesse Marsch and actually started the American's last seven games before he was sacked.

He also earned plenty of praise in this period, too. For instance, after a loss to Aston Villa, Gary Neville told Sky Sports (via Mail Online): "To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

"Sometimes you see potential and talent, but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good, honestly."

With that being the case, it does seem odd that Gracia would arrive at Leeds and not rate Gnonto. And after admitting that the player's injury hasn't been that bad, perhaps he might be benching the Italian for non-footballing reasons.

After all, in the midst of a relegation battle, you'd hardly be worried about protecting one of your best players. You'd probably be desperate to get them back on the pitch the moment they were fit again, so we are also curious about this situation and will be keen to see whether he gets the nod this weekend.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona winger Raphinha this summer and the Brazilian's potential arrival at Stamford Bridge could see Todd Boehly finally ditch Hakim Ziyech.

Could Chelsea sign Raphinha this summer?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Chelsea have rekindled their interest in the forward having missed out on him to Barcelona only last summer after an impressive two seasons with Leeds United.

Boehly has already spent an eye-watering amount of money on new players at Chelsea and is blessed with a plethora of wide options at Stamford Bridge, but none of those wingers have stepped up to aid the Blues amid their barren run of form in front of goal.

With Chelsea having managed just 30 goals in 31 top-flight fixtures so far this campaign, attacking additions seem likely this summer and in Raphinha, the west London outfit would be signing a player they know can cut it in England.

In two years at Elland Road, the Brazil international would notch 17 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League, which saw him earn a £55m move to La Liga giants Barcelona last summer, despite heavy interest from the Blues.

During his time in Yorkshire, the £212k-per-week wide man would earn a huge amount of praise from former teammate Daniel James.

He said: "He’s a magician. He’s always been a great player – I played against him at United and he was always great – but he’s improved so much.

"He fully deserved his Brazilian call-up and I think since he got it, he’s pushed on even more, he’s even more confident. He can do absolutely anything on the pitch. It’s great playing with him."

Raphinha's debut campaign in Spain has produced six goals and four assists in 27 La Liga appearances with a WhoScored average rating of 7.02, which is more goal contributions and a better average rating than any of the attackers in Chelsea's squad.

Could Raphinha replace Ziyech at Chelsea?

As a left-footed right-winger, the 26-year-old would surely be an heir for wantaway wide man Hakim Ziyech, who has endured a nightmare spell at Stamford Bridge and was denied a loan move away in January after his move to PSG collapsed at the last minute.

The Morocco international has, in the words of Emmanuel Petit, looked "miserable" since the World Cup and has no goals and just one assist in his 14 Premier League appearances this season, with a woeful 6.44 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The 30-year-old has never lived up to the form he showed at Ajax and will surely be a prime candidate to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

A replacement will be required but Boehly could look to fix that problem by bringing in Raphinha as his direct heir.

Chelsea could potentially look to Frank Lampard as a possible option to become their next permanent manager over the summer.

Why did Chelsea reappoint Lampard?

After Bruno Saltor's only game as the caretaker manager in charge of Chelsea, the decision was made to replace him with Lampard until the end of the campaign.

Saltor had overseen the draw at home to Liverpool, however, Lampard's return did not get off to an equally as impressive start following a defeat away from home at the hands of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Chelsea now remain inside the bottom half of the Premier League table with a whopping 17-point gap now opened between themselves and the top four.

The search for Chelsea's next manager goes on with the likes of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann believed to be two of the main options for the Blues.

However, there are some massive games ahead of Lampard to prove his worth to the likes of Todd Boehly and none bigger than the Champions League tie against Real Madrid.

Indeed, speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Simon Phillips has claimed the 44-year-old could potentially play himself into contention if he is to turn around Chelsea's dreadful form:

"I'm told that he did not come with the intention to stay short-term, and in his eyes, he wants to prove that he can be a contender to get the role on a full-time basis.

"The club would not rule this out if Lampard has a very good spell from now until the end of the season, especially if he pulls off a miracle and wins the Champions League."

Could Lampard turn around this Chelsea side?

The fixtures ahead of the Blues over the coming weeks are certainly not easy ones with Chelsea still to play the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Arsenal in the league.

With this in mind, it did feel as if Chelsea needed a result on the weekend against Wolves to get them up and going under the former Chelsea midfielder.

But this was clearly not the case as the Londoners failed to even get themselves on the scoresheet against Julen Lopetegui's side at Molineux.

Lampard's side had real issues in front of goal with just one of their 13 shots landing on Jose Sa's goal over the course of the game (via SofaScore).

That has been the story of Chelsea's season so far with the seven-fewest (29) goals of any Premier League side over the course of the campaign.

Lampard's previous tenure at Stamford Bridge did not offer a whole load of optimism for his short spell until the end of the campaign having won marginally over half of his 84 games in charge across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

Having said that, if he is able to pull off a Champions League miracle, then perhaps it may be time to refresh our judgement on the 44-year-old – but that does feel a huge ask for Chelsea to beat the reigning champions.

Leeds United are thought to be readying a “possible attack” with a move for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer.

What’s the latest news on Ugarte and Leeds?

Ugarte is primarily a defensive midfielder who can also turn out in a central midfield role and appears to be at the peak of his powers with his Transfermarkt valuation rising from €6m to a career-high €25m after joining Sporting back in 2021.

The 21-year-old has made a total of 75 appearances for Sporting, 37 of which have come during the current campaign. He is under contract until 2026 but could well be on the move over the coming months, with a number of Premier League sides seemingly keen on his services.

MOT Leeds News relayed an update from the print edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo in the last 48 hours regarding Ugarte, who has a £52.7m release clause. They claimed that Leeds chiefs are readying a “possible attack” to sign the player and are joined by Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Tottenham and Wolves.

Ugarte’s displays this season have also caught the eye of AC Milan and AS Roma. Leeds also sent their scouts to watch Ugarte play against Arsenal in the Europa League earlier this month.

Would Ugarte be a good signing for Leeds?

Javi Gracia currently has a shortage of midfield options after Tyler Adams underwent hamstring surgery, with Marc Roca and loanee Weston McKennie the only available senior options to the head coach at this moment in time, with Adam Forshaw also sidelined.

A permanent move for McKennie could well be on the cards in the summer, with the Whites set to trigger their option of a £30m transfer if they remain in the top flight. However, the injury to Adams shows that Leeds could do with another midfield addition over the coming months, where they are likely to be under new owners in the 49ers Enterprises.

Ugarte could prove to be a shrewd signing, with the Uruguay international making more clearances and tackles per 90 than any of his Sporting teammates, as per WhoScored. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has labelled Ugarte as a "midfield machine" earlier in the season, with the player outperforming every Leeds player so far in 2022/23.

A transfer could prove tricky with the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham keen, though, but it still may be one to keep an eye on if things go to plan on the pitch.

Chelsea are confident that midfielder N'Golo Kante will ignore Paris Saint-Germain and remain at the club in a late twist to his contract saga.

What does the future hold for N'Golo Kante?

The future of the £290k-p/w 31-year-old has been up in the air for some time, especially with his current Blues contract expiring at the end of this season. He has endured an extremely frustrating campaign to date, with injuries restricting him to just two appearances in the Premier League.

Some reports have suggested that Kante could look for a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window, with a move to PSG something that has been mooted. It would represent a move to his homeland of France, which could appeal to him during the autumn of his career.

However, Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that the player is on the verge of signing a contract extension. Now, yet another update has emerged on the situation, claiming it's not done just yet and the Blues are still fending off the Parisians.

What are PSG up to?

According to 90min, Chelsea remain "confident" that they will be able to keep hold of Kante this summer but PSG have "remained in contact". The Premier League outfit are close to wrapping things up, but the Ligue 1 giants are not going away until the final whistle blows and the extension is confirmed.

The midfielder has always reportedly considered the Blues his priority, proving to be happy living in London still, and while PSG have certainly not given up hope of getting their man, it looks like they'd need to offer him monster wages to change his mind.

This is still good news for Chelsea, with Kante a true modern-day great at the club, having racked up 262 appearances to date and won one Premier League and Champions League title apiece, as well as the Footballer of the Year award in 2017. While injuries have clearly plagued him of late and he isn't getting any younger, he remains an influential figure who will hopefully stay on for a few more years.

Kante's vast experience could be invaluable for someone like Enzo Fernandez, allowing him to learn from a master in his position, also ensuring that there is a healthy mix of young and old in Graham Potter's squad moving forward. The positives clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to him signing a new deal – Cesc Fabregas has hailed him as a 'world-class' player in the past – with his tackling tenacity and expert reading of play so influential down the years.

PSG have no issue shelling out huge salaries to players, but hopefully Kante is happy to stay put for a another couple of years at least.

Liverpool are ready to submit an offer to bring Torino defender Perr Schuurs to the Premier League and are in pole position for his services, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed

Football Insider reported in February that the Reds are willing to listen to offers for both Joel Matip and Nat Phillips this summer so backline reinforcements will be needed should they depart.

The Dutchman isn’t out of contract at the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium until 2026, but being a regular feature this season having made 20 Serie A starts under Ivan Juric, has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp.

The Merseyside outfit have recently been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old and it’s claimed that they are the ‘first to move’ to secure his services, though it sounds like they may now be ready to take it one step further.

The Latest: Liverpool ‘at the forefront’ and preparing bid

According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Liverpool, Manchester United, Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain are all keen on a deal for Schuurs, but it’s Klopp’s side that are currently ‘at the forefront’ of the race.

The Anfield outfit are ‘ready to offer’ a fee of €50m (£44m) to sign him during the upcoming window, but it turns out it’s not the first time the boss has had him on his radar.

The German manager ‘wanted’ the centre-back in 2020 with him and the hierarchy having ‘considered’ another approach last summer, though they never went as far as ‘sinking their teeth in’.

There is plenty of ‘fierce competition at the highest level’ for the defender whose agents have said that he already has several ‘juicy’ proposals on the table.

The Verdict: Gvardiol alternative?

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol in recent months but Schuurs could prove to be the ideal and potentially much cheaper alternative.

The 6 foot 3 colossus currently averages 3.5 clearances and two aerial wins per league game highlighting the rock he can be at the heart of a backline but he is also strong in the offensive aspect of his play (WhoScored).

Torino’s tank, who is sponsored by Nike, has posted 37 goal contributions in 219 career outings showing the threat he provides when it comes to getting on the end of set pieces.

The Nieuwstadt native also knows what it takes to be successful having won six trophies during his spell at Ajax so would match the winning mentality that’s already on Merseyside.

Finally, Schuurs has been hailed a ‘top-class’ player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper ahead of the 2023/24 term.

Everton's season has been poor. Few people would debate that statement. But that is not to suggest that certain individuals have not performed well amidst the chaos and dogged relegation scrap.

For a period their defence was one of the best in the Premier League, and if not for a brutal mid-season collapse under Frank Lampard, they surely would have upheld this had Sean Dyche replaced him sooner.

The former Burnley boss did not waste time outlining the issues at the club, packing out the midfield to protect the back four which has resulted in a few vital wins to lift them out of the relegation zone.

In fact, since he joined the club the Toffees sit fourth in the form table, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur above them.

His impact has been borderline revolutionary and has finally seen the best of James Tarkowski once again, although his levels have never really dropped despite the rest of his team's failures.

It was therefore a huge disappointment to see him omitted from Gareth Southgate's most recent England squad, although it hardly came as a surprise.

Should James Tarkowski be picked for England?

Back in 2017, Gareth Southgate proudly proclaimed: "I never pick on reputation — form has to come into it."

However, it is quite clear that since then he has developed certain favourites who maintain their place within his squad regardless of club form.

Until recently, Conor Coady was a mainstay within the England squad despite seldom actually playing. Whilst this was likely due to what he could offer within the dressing room, the continued selection of the likes of Eric Dier, Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips have all raised eyebrows.

The latter two in particular, given how neither plays regularly for their clubs.

Meanwhile, Tarkowski has played every minute of their albeit poor Premier League campaign thus far, yet without him their situation would look considerably more dismal. For comparison, the Manchester United defender has started just five times in the league for his club.

The fact that the Toffees' stopper has also maintained a 7.19 rating throughout a tumultuous campaign too, the highest rating of any of his teammates to feature over five times, further exacerbates his importance. The 7.00 average rating of Maguire is also somewhat gratuitous given his far smaller sample size within a squad boasting far more quality. However, it still does not compare to the former.

It is no wonder that other pundits were pleading with Southgate to take the £100k-per-week titan to the World Cup, with Danny Mills even telling Match of the Day (via the Daily Star): "He's [Tarkowski] the best English centre-half we have that's playing regularly. He's been that good."

Whilst his level hasn't dropped from that period, it feels like his opportunity to feature for his national team dwindles with each passing break.

Evertonians are seldom surprised to see their top players snubbed, so Tarkowski will have to do something truly exceptional to add to the two caps earned back in 2018.

Newcastle United are likely to sign a new left-back in the summer transfer window with Dan Burn currently playing out of position.

Since PIF took over on Tyneside, the Magpies have brought in two permanent signings at left-back in Matt Targett and Dan Burn.

Targett joined initially on loan from Aston Villa, but his stay was made permanent last summer, however, he has had his struggles since with Burn keeping him out of the starting XI.

And although Burn has racked up the majority of the starts under Eddie Howe at left-back, he is naturally a centre-back who has been shifted out of position.

Speaking on the Let's Talk Football show, insider Jacque Talbot has claimed the Magpies will be looking to bring in a more natural option at left-back in the summer:

(11:35) "I've just remembered, as well, we've got Dan Burn playing at left-back at the moment. I'm not sure whether that is part of the formula where they make a three and Trippier goes up.

"But possibly another left-back. More than likely another left-back I feel."

Do Newcastle need a new left-back?

On the other side of the defence is Kieran Trippier who has proven to be an incredibly shrewd piece of business by the Magpies with the 32-year-old having racked up eight assists this season.

However, at left-back, Burn has struggled to provide much of an attacking threat with the Blyth-born defender yet to register a single assist this season. However, he has played the third most amount of minutes.

Reports have emerged recently suggesting a move for Arsenal's Kieran Tierney could be a potential option for the Toon in the summer.

He would certainly provide Howe with a more natural fit at left-back and could help strengthen their depth at centre-back by freeing Burn of the responsibility on the left.

However, the Scotsman would arrive on Tyneside with his own baggage having had an incredibly difficult time in north London as a result of his injury issues.

And due to his inability to remain fit for a prolonged period of time, Tierney's returns over the years at Arsenal are unlikely to impress the Newcastle fans.

Given Burn's attacking threat is virtually nil, it does seem as if Dan Ashworth could be right in looking to strengthen their left-back options.

But considering Newcastle are a side who have suffered heavily from injury issues, it will be interesting to see if Tierney's record proves off-putting for the Toon.