Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks has taken to Instagram to provide a response to comments that he recently made on his parent club.

What did Harry Winks say?

The Englishman is currently spending the final few months of his season-long loan deal in Serie A with the Italian strugglers, Sampdoria.

Winks has become a regular in their starting XI having started the last eight of Sampdoria's league games following a lengthy injury which kept him sidelined (via Transfermarkt).

However, did recently comment about his time away from north London and suggested the club had not been in contact with him:

"I can only focus on the next match, but I am proud to have made this choice. Nobody from Tottenham has contacted me, not even the coach. I was and am fully focusing on Sampdoria," he said.

But on Thursday afternoon, the 27-year-old posted on his Instagram story to clarify his comments, claiming he had not heard from Spurs on their plans for next season:

"I just wanted to clarify [that] my comments about no contact from Spurs were in regards to plans for next season. There are still plenty of games left this season for both Sampdoria and Spurs and this has to be the full focus for both.

"Having been at Spurs since the age of 5, I have nothing but respect for everyone at the Club."

Will Spurs sell Winks in the summer?

Winks will arrive back in north London with just one year remaining on his current deal with the Lilywhites having spent the year away in Italy.

But as aforementioned, it has been a difficult campaign for the Englishman on the whole having suffered from an ankle injury which had kept him out of action until January.

The injury was so severe that the midfielder was forced to undergo surgery back in November to help rectify the issue.

As a result, Winks has missed the majority of the season in Italy which has meant his opportunity to leave Spurs for the season and show them what he can do has been hindered.

And in a side which look destined for relegation, it has not been an easy environment for the 27-year-old to return to considering they have only won two games all season.

Spurs are expected to look for a new midfielder in the summer but considering the difficulties Winks has endured, it is difficult to imagine him returning to the fold ahead of next season.

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.

Crystal Palace are monitoring Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What’s the latest on Gyokeres to Palace?

The Sweden international has now entered the final 18 months of his contract at the Building Society Arena and being Mark Robins’ best-performing offensive player, alongside the fact that he’s the Championship’s second-highest goalscorer, has caught the eye of Dougie Freedman and Co.

Football League World reported in November 2022 that the Eagles were interested in a deal to sign the 24-year-old alongside Everton, Southampton and West Ham, and it wasn’t long before the hierarchy took their admiration one step further. The Selhurst Park outfit are claimed to have made contact and submitted an enquiry to ask about their target’s availability, though no deal ever came to fruition during the January window.

Now, according to 90min, Palace, Brentford, Everton, Leeds and Leicester are all “monitoring” Gyokeres ahead of the 2023/24 term, with any clubs who achieve promotion from the second-tier also expected to be “in the mix”. The Sky Blues are “bracing themselves” for a tsunami of offers to arrive at their door later in the summer and have therefore set a price tag of at least £20m, £4m higher than the £16m they were demanding heading into the New Year.

Would Gyokeres be a good signing for Palace?

Gyokeres has been dubbed an “unplayable” forward by his Coventry teammate Maxime Biamou and it would be a massive coup for Palace should they be able to get a deal for him over the line later in the summer.

The Midlands attacker has clocked up an outstanding 26 goal contributions (18 goals and eight assists) in 38 Championship appearances this season, with this prolific type of form having seen him receive eight man-of-the-match awards. The Eagles target currently ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive carries and the 98th percentile for successful take-ons and shot-creating actions, showing that he’s always aiming to get past his marker and take his chances in the final third (FBRef).

The £4.5K-p/w talisman also has the flexibility to play in six positions, including out wide on both the left and right flanks alongside his natural centre-forward position, which will be yet another attractive attribute to Hodgson. Standing at 6 foot 2, Gyokeres would be the ideal target man to get on the end of long balls and set pieces, so this would be a cracking piece of business for the hierarchy to complete.

Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson should not have saw his goal disallowed by VAR during their game against Nottingham Forest, according to Dermot Gallagher.

Why was Elliot Anderson's goal disallowed?

Eddie Howe's side closed the gap on fourth spot over the weekend with victory at the City Ground which was then added to on Saturday as Tottenham Hotspur blew their lead to Southampton.

However, they were made to fight until the dying minutes in the game on Friday night to seal the points with Alexander Isak converting his penalty with just minutes remaining.

This came after the Magpies saw Anderson's header disallowed earlier in the half for offside on Sean Longstaff in the build-up to the goal.

But speaking on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Gallagher has questioned this decision suggesting the goal should have actually stood:

(0:30) "I look for the clues and one of the biggest clues was Forest set up to kick off and they were waiting to kick off when the delay was going on checking.

"I don't really see why the VAR got involved because, for me, Felipe clearly goes to kick the ball out for a corner. I think Jacob Murphy is behind hin would intercept the ball, he knows that.

"He goes to kick the ball out for a corner Murphy's not in an offside position. So he's quite entitled to be there. He goes kick the ball out for a corner."

Were Newcastle robbed by VAR?

It did leave many questioning what VAR was actually looking at during the celebrations of the goals as it felt as if they were looking for a reason to chalk it off.

The issue lies in Felipe's attempted clearance which fell to the feet of Longstaff before Isak crossed the ball in for Anderson to head home.

And the VAR and referee came to the conclusion that it was not a deliberate action to clear the ball in Longstaff's direction, therefore, he was still offside.

However, when watching the replays, it is hard to suggest anything other than the Forest player making a deliberate act to clear the ball.

It does feel as if that should have been the end of the matter and Longstaff should have been made onside through that action.

But as has so often been the case for Newcastle this season, they found themselves on the end of a questionable VAR call.

And many fans will recognise that Paul Tierney was not much better for the hosts with Newcastle's equaliser offering up a potential shout for being chalked off through a foul in the build-up.

However, nothing was given despite there being clear contact, yet VAR dissected the offside incident to come to a conclusion which has left many confused.

Chelsea were clearly desperate for a new striker in the summer transfer window and the Blues made the panic decision to bring former Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to the Premier League.

However, his signing has proven to be disastrous for Todd Boehly, as the former Gabon international is now costing the Chelsea chairman a fortune while sitting on the bench for Graham Potter's side.

How much has Aubameyang cost Chelsea?

Barcelona would sign the experienced striker on a free transfer from Arsenal in February 2022 and he impressed during his brief spell at the Nou Camp, notching 13 goals and one assist in just 24 appearances.

This was enough to convince Boehly to bring him back to England in September 2022, with the 33-year-old signing in a deal worth £12m, which perhaps always looked like a risky deal for the Blues given his age and the disciplinary issues that saw him ousted from Mikel Arteta's side the season prior.

He was also offered a hefty £160k-per-week contract by the west London side, which means he has set the Blues back around £4.5m in wages in the 28 weeks since he signed, taking his overall fee to around £16.5m, which is a significant price to pay for a bit-part player.

Aubameyang has gone on to make just 18 appearances for Chelsea in his six-month stay, registering a disappointing three goals and one assist, so it was no surprise that Potter opted to leave him out of his squad for the Champions League knockout stages, especially as his last start would come in early January.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton summarised Aubameyang's stint at Stamford Bridge after his lacklustre display in the 1-0 home defeat against Manchester City.

He said: “I’m always wary to criticise players for lack of effort or poor body language but Aubameyang absolutely epitomised that. I thought he was woeful and hopeless and didn’t give anywhere near enough.

“He looked disinterested and I suspect Graham Potter will be thinking, ‘blimey, he is never going to play in a Chelsea jersey again under me’.”

Unfortunately for Potter, Aubameyang's contract with Chelsea is set to run until June 2024, which means that they need to shift him this summer if they are going to avoid paying his wages for another year.

With further attacking additions likely in the summer transfer window, it seems clear that the 33-year-old's time in the Premier League is over, with his signing likely to go down as one of the worst of the Boehly era.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher could look to leave the club on loan this summer as he weighs up his options, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Kelleher playing second fiddle

The Irishman has become a popular figure at Anfield, catching the eye most for his penalty-saving ability and helping the Reds win numerous shootouts in recent years.

One of those was last season’s EFL Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, in which he also scored a spot-kick, and he has consistently been a strong understudy to Alisson.

Unfortunately for Kelleher, he is behind one of the world’s best ‘keepers in the pecking order at Anfield, so it is only natural that he has invariably warmed the substitutes’ bench this season.

The 24-year-old hasn’t made a single appearance in the Premier League in 2022/23, with his only matches coming in the EFL Cup and FA Cup, twice and once respectively.

Kelleher will not want to continue being a second-choice ‘keeper for the rest of his career, so come the summer, he may have a key decision to make.

The Latest: Loan move possible

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Kelleher would look at his options at the end of the season, with a loan move certainly not out of the question:

“As far as I understand, his intent was always to weigh things up at the end of the season and carefully consider his next move.

“Maybe that would be a loan. I don’t think this is just in Liverpool’s hands. I think Kelleher himself has to make a big decision.”

The Verdict: Needs regular football

Kelleher is an excellent goalkeeper – one who Jurgen Klopp has described as ‘exceptional’ – so in many ways, it would be ideal for Liverpool to keep hold of him for many years to come.

For the good of his career, however, the 10-time capped Republic of Ireland international has to be playing more, considering he is easily good enough to be first-choice elsewhere.

At 24, now is the time that the £10,000-a-week stopper should be a key starter for a team – perhaps a lower-ranked Premier League side or top-end Championship club – so it makes sense to move on in the summer.

A loan move would be perfectly good, although in terms of fully settling and kicking on in his career, a permanent departure could be for the best, allowing Liverpool to earn good money for his services.

Leeds United have had to offload some high-profile players over the years for a cut price, whether it be due to the ambition of the player or just general financial issues.

Often they would mark a slight profit, but compared to what their actual value was, the club have often walked away feeling hard done by. The squad that was ransacked around their 2004 relegation comes to mind, where many elite individuals left Elland Road at far below their worth. It was a dark time for the club.

However, being an up-and-coming club in the Championship can often be a good thing, as it offers a springboard for youngsters to play with far less pressure than in the Premier League. This inflated level of performance can then tempt bigger clubs into spending big, only to find out they were not getting what they bargained for.

It seems the perfect example of this was just before the Whites' final season before they earned promotion, when Tottenham Hotspur came calling for Jack Clarke. An academy graduate, and thus signed for nothing, the Lilywhites were forced to pay a premium for the forward who had done little to merit such a price tag.

This marks one of the few moments where a player has sought to leave, only for it to actually benefit the selling club.

Where is Jack Clarke now?

Whilst the 22-year-old might be performing now for Sunderland, it still marks a return to the second division for a youngster who once promised so much.

Having played just 28 times for Leeds, scoring twice and assisting another two, there had been glimpses of real quality but without any consistency. As such, when Spurs came crashing in with an offer rising to £11.5m, it was a no-brainer.

Clearly a Mauricio Pochettino signing, his sacking not too long into Clarke's move to north London seemed to completely curtail his budding career at the club.

Just four short appearances for their senior squad would see him shipped out on loan to Wearside, where he has featured ever since. To mark his fall from grace, he would sign permanently at the Stadium of Light just last summer.

Having left Championship Leeds only to end up back there himself, whilst his old club enjoy their third consecutive season in the top flight, offers some delightful irony for fans of the club.

Whilst the 5 foot 11 wizard is admittedly impressing under Tony Mowbray, with seven goals and six assists in the league this season, he remains a great example of what could have been had he just stuck around at his boyhood club.

His current manager seemingly still sees that bright future ahead of him, branding him a "diamond" just last year; but even if he does fulfil his potential, it will still remain a striking piece of business from the Yorkshire outfit given how his career has stalled in recent years.

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.

Frank Lampard is thought to plotting a return to management, with Crystal Palace a potential destination, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Palace on the hunt for a new manager

The Eagles are looking to replace Patrick Vieira after sacking the Frenchman last week. U21s coach Paddy McCarthy took the side in the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, leaving Palace just three points above the relegation zone and still winless in 2023.

The club have reportedly been in contact with former manager Roy Hodgson, with the 75-year-old ‘believed to be keen on returning to Palace and a deal could be formalised quickly if all parties can reach an agreement.’ Adi Hutter has also been spoken to, with the former Borussia Monchengladbach manager currently out of work.

The Latest: Lampard news

The Sun’s Andrew Dillon shared an update regarding Lampard in the last 48 hours, saying he ‘has itchy feet’ and is ‘plotting a return to management despite recent heartaches’.

The report said that the 44-year-old ‘will watch summer developments closely, when both Crystal Palace and Leicester could face upheaval.’

The Verdict: One to watch?

Lampard has Premier League experience as a manager with Chelsea and Everton and actually has three wins out of four against Hodgson and two out of three against Vieira. He likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation, something which Vieira used on a number of occasions earlier in the season in home wins over Aston Villa and Leeds United.

The Englishman has taken charge of 95 fixtures in the Premier League, averaging 1.37 points per game in total. That sort of form could see Palace secure safety between now and May, but it looks as if he is looking at a return in the summer.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has also been full of praise for Lampard, saying:

‘He’s been very important to me. He brought me to Derby, gave me the playing time and I learnt so much under him there before coming back to Chelsea and continuing my learning.

‘I have nothing but praise and gratitude for everything he’s given me as a player on and off the pitch. I’ve definitely grown as a player as well so he obviously means a lot to me.’

It could well be one to keep an eye on, especially as Lampard was linked with the Selhurst Park job back in 2021 before pulling out of the race which led to Vieira’s eventual appointment.

Everton are a club that pride themselves on their impressive youth production, whilst Sean Dyche is a manager more than willing to hand youngsters the chance should they prove themselves good enough for him.

Sunday's sensational draw at Chelsea more than proved this, as his faith in young Ellis Simms resulted in a stunning equalising goal as he came from the bench to dance past Kalidou Koulibaly and finish underneath Kepa Arrizabalaga.

The 22-year-old had made just seven senior appearances for the Toffees prior to that strike, but now could be set for a run in the team to further prove his qualities to the ex-Burnley boss.

It was at his old club where he also oversaw the emergence of Dwight McNeil, who he once again retains stewardship of after their respective moves to Merseyside.

The club and manager finally seem to share this synergy that could save them from the drop, with a shared mindset transferring from both the fans and the manager to the pitch. This faith in youth could be capitalised upon once more in the summer when a host of talents return from loan, with Lewis Gibson perhaps going under the radar as someone who could instantly thrive.

Who is Lewis Gibson?

Having spent time at Newcastle United's academy, it was Finch Farm where he eventually rose to prominence, having since enjoyed four loans as he seeks form, fitness and true growth as a defender.

His current spell at Bristol Rovers arguably marks his most impressive season to date, as the youngster has established himself as a mainstay under Joey Barton at the heart of the defence.

The 6 foot 1 stopper has featured 21 times this season in League One, averaging a rating of 6.88 and even captaining the side in their most recent league defeat to Portsmouth.

Across this campaign he has also recorded some impressive defensive statistics, averaging 1.3 interceptions, one tackle and 3.2 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He has been a monster of late, and clearly is a favourite of Barton who had brought him to Fleetwood Town on loan just two years earlier.

During their shared time together with the Fishermen, the former midfielder praised the young defender by claiming that he looked "the real deal."

With James Tarkowski also starring of late back at Goodison Park, but at 30 years of age, Everton will soon need a successor to the man posting a remarkable 7.19 average rating this season.

Fortunately, the ex-Claret shares similarly outstanding assets as Gibson, as he also records 1.2 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 5.4 clearances per match, via Sofascore.

With plenty of senior experience now under his belt, this summer could finally represent his opportunity to partner with or potentially prove that he can usurp the Everton stalwart in the near future.