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Tottenham Hotspur managerial target Luis Enrique is ‘keen’ on a move to the Premier League and could now be Fabio Paratici’s first choice.

The Lowdown: Conte quitting?

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is set to dominate the headlines over these next few months with the Italian heavily linked to leaving north London.

Conte’s current deal expires at the end of the 2022/2023 season, and while chairman Daniel Levy can extend his stay by a further 12 months, reports claim this is growing more and more unlikely.

Paratici and co have already drawn a managerial shortlist for if Conte does depart, with former fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino among the prime contenders.

In terms of other targets, Sky share that Roberto De Zerbi, Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank are also of interest to Spurs.

Enrique is an interesting and potentially enticing option, especially when taking into account his illustrious CV and status as a free agent.

The Latest: Paratici ‘first choice’ for Spurs…

According to journalist John Cross, writing in a column for The Mirror, the 52-year-old could well’ be Paratici’s ‘first choice’ for the job.

He is apparently ‘keen’ on a move to England and the top flight, but in a twist, Levy may actually disagree with the Italian club chief.

Cross states that Levy wants managers with Premier League experience, something that could count against Enrique in the race to be Spurs’ next boss.

The Verdict: Go for him?

Bar Pochettino, who we believe is the standout candidate to succeed Conte, Enrique could also be a sound option.

The former Spain boss has enjoyed a decorated managerial career, clinching nine pieces of silverware in total, which includes a Champions League at former club Barcelona.

Enrique encourages a more forward-thinking style of football than Conte and could steer Spurs away from their pragmatic style of the last two seasons.

Even though Spain eventually went out in the Last 16 of their World Cup campaign, Enrique attracted praise from some members of the media for his decisions during the tournament.

Juan Ignacio G-Ochoa, via Sam Leveridge, said this about the ex-Catalans head coach:

“He’s not crazy, he’s a genius.

“Luis Enrique was criticised for his squad, for dropping Gayà, for playing a midfielder in defence, for streaming… the World Cup debut, however, has shown the reality: Spain has a great team and his ideas work.”

Able to sign for Spurs at no cost, Enrique is a name who could be linked with the job right until a coach is formally announced.

Referee Paul Tierney and the VAR officials may well have made a big mistake late on in the recent Leeds United draw after they failed to award a penalty for a challenge on Rodrigo.

What’s the latest on the possible Leeds penalty?

On Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, the Whites played host to Brighton and Hove Albion as they looked to pick up a positive result amid their relegation fears.

In the end, one goal from Patrick Bamford and another from Jack Harrison (who had scored an own goal to put the Seagulls ahead) was enough to see Javi Gracia and his new side pick up a point in a 2-2 draw.

However, with the scores still level and just minutes left on the clock, Rodrigo burst into the Brighton box and appeared to be fouled by Adam Webster who slid in to clear the ball.

The referee played on but this footage suggests it probably should have been a foul.

Did Rodrigo deserve a penalty for Leeds against Brighton?

It’s clear to see that Joel Veltman comes in to help win the ball and he makes his challenge cleanly. This may be why referee Tierney allowed play to go on as if there was no foul

Despite that, though, Webster also made a tackle and appears to take Rodrigo out with plenty of contact before he gets any kind of touch on the ball.

It feels like one of those decisions where if the referee had given a penalty, VAR wouldn’t have overturned it. However, the officials didn’t feel it was a bad enough mistake for Tierney to then review his call at the monitor.

In the end, that penalty shout went ignored and so Leeds had to settle for just a point when they could have stolen all three right at the death. As they sit inside the relegation zone, they’ll be hoping this key call doesn’t come back to haunt them at the end of the season.

Manchester United sent scouts to watch RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, 90min report.

The Lowdown: Hat-trick in seven minutes

Sesko, who Ryan Taylor has described as a “generational talent”, actually started the game against Rapid Vienna on the bench.

However, the 19-year-old came on for the second half and netted a hat-trick in just seven minutes to secure the three points for Salzburg. The three goals took his tally to 11 in 30 games for 2022/23, and it looks as if United are one of many tracking the Slovenia international.

The Latest: United update

90min provided an update on Sesko in the last 48 hours, where the Red Devils were named.

They claimed that United sent scouts to watch the forward in action, with those at Old Trafford still seeing the player as a potential target despite the fact Sesko will join RB Leipzig in the summer.

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The Verdict: Future signing?

Erik ten Hag could really do with a marquee attacker signed this summer due to Anthony Martial’s injury issues, but it doesn’t look as if that will be Sesko, who is set to move to Germany with Leipzig.

Therefore, he could be viewed as a future signing at Old Trafford, provided he goes from strength to strength in the Bundesliga.

Reports back in the summer claimed that United made an offer for Sesko, so hopefully, the club may get another chance to make their move for the forward, and his name will be one to keep an eye on over the year, especially with comparisons already being made to Erling Haaland.

Glasgow Rangers bounced back from their cup final defeat last week by beating Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Head coach Michael Beale made changes to his side and Antonio Colak was one of the players who benefitted from that as the striker led the line ahead of Alfredo Morelos.

The former POAK forward assisted Fashion Sakala’s goal and recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.2 as he justified his selection in the side with an excellent performance.

Since arriving in Glasgow last summer, the 29-year-old has plundered 11 goals in 16 Premiership starts and scored 15 goals in 33 matches for the club in total.

His superb form for the Light Blues comes after a difficult spell in Greece where he only managed four strikes and two assists in 39 outings for PAOK, although he did score 22 times in 41 games for Malmo on loan during that period.

Could Rangers repeat their Antonio Colak masterclass?

Colak’s impressive goal return for Rangers shows that sporting director Ross Wilson played a masterclass in signing him last summer.

However, the former Southampton chief could now repeat that trick by dipping into the Greek market once again to sign Fotis Ioannidis from Panathinaikos.

Rangers have reportedly sent scouts to watch the centre-forward in action and could find their next Colak by snapping him up in the summer transfer window.

Ioannidis, who only turned 23 in January, has produced three goals and two assists in ten Super League starts this season, after managing to hit the back of the net four times in 15 starts in the division last term, with that return marking a goal contribution every other start.

The youngster, who has been capped four times by Greece, also scored eight goals in 49 matches for APO Levadiakos before his move to Panathinaikos – to go along with his 13 in 87 for his current club – and this shows that the forward has plenty of experience despite being early on in his career.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously stated that he was “impressed” with the marksman, who has “lovely balance”, and the 6 foot 1 ace’s solid statistics suggest that praise is warranted.

Ioannidis is yet to have a breakthrough campaign in terms of beating the goalkeeper on a consistent basis but the young talent has built up a bank of experience and showcased his potential as a goalscorer in limited starts. As such, the striker could be an excellent long-term signing for the Gers.

Tottenham Hotspur are continuing to restrict Harry Kane’s involvement in training at Hotspur Way on the back of his recent illness.

Is Harry Kane injured?

The Spurs striker has recently suffered from an illness which saw him benched for the FA Cup clash against Preston North End towards the back end of last month.

Kane was also believed to be suffering from the illness during their victory away to Fulham in January as he scored the only goal of the game to provide the Lilywhites with all three points.

And on the back of his illness, Spurs have restricted his time in training to keep him in the best possible health as Spurs continue to battle it out over three competitions.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has shared his concerns, though, with the striker now a month on from his struggles:

(1:18:00) “Kane is still having certain sessions that he’s missing out on at the moment. They’re managing him. And I keep getting told it’s because he had an illness, if you remember, that he played with a fever against Fulham right at the end of last month.

“So it’s a little bit concerning that he’s still getting some lingering after effects a month on after having had that illness.”

Will Harry Kane play against Sheffield United?

Spurs are back in action on Wednesday evening as they look to secure themselves a spot in the final eight of the FA Cup with a visit to Sheffield United.

This will leave Cristian Stellini with a big decision to make as to how strong he will set up his Spurs side given their hectic fixture list.

Tottenham return to Premier League action on Wednesday and then play once again in the Champions League on Wednesday and then again on Saturday.

But the FA Cup, arguably, provides Tottenham with their best opportunity to land themselves a trophy this season so it does feel as if Stellini should take the game at Bramall Lane seriously.

The Italian does have options at his disposal with the likes of Arnaut Danjuma and Richarlison both capable of playing through the middle of the front three.

And perhaps the illness picked up by Kane was as a result of his heavy involvement in the Spurs starting XI this season which has already seen him 34 appearances across all competitions.

With this in mind, it could provide Stellini with an option to rest Kane for the upcoming league and Champions League games.

However, if he was to rest Kane and Spurs were to be dumped out of the competition it would surely feel like a huge opportunity missed to enter the business end of the competition.

Newcastle United are still interested in the possibility of signing James Maddison ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Will Newcastle sign James Maddison in the summer?

The Magpies have been heavily linked with potentially signing Maddison in the past with the Toon believed to have lodged two bids for the Leicester City man over the summer.

Having seen those bids knocked back, it is believed this summer could offer the Magpies with another opportunity to land the England international.

Maddison will go into the summer with just one year remaining on his deal with the Premier League side as he reportedly seeks the possibility of playing Champions League football.

Speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Tyneside club are in love with Maddison ahead of the summer window:

(6:45) “And then a creative midfielder, there is a player they really love who is James Maddison, who is doing very well for Leicester and he’s a player they always had at the top of their list. And I’m sure they will try again before the summer.”

Who else is interested in signing James Maddison?

It has been made apparent Eddie Howe’s men are one of the clubs who would be keen to bring Maddison in over the summer window, but reports suggest they may not be the only ones.

Tottenham Hotspur are another side who are believed to hold an interest in Maddison with the north London club currently battling the Toon for a spot in the top four this season.

And if Champions League football is something which Maddison is targeting then the final months of this season for both these clubs could be crucial in their believed interest in the midfielder.

However, in recent weeks reports have emerged suggesting Manchester City are another club that could look to sign Maddison over the summer.

The summer will offer Leicester their last real opportunity to bring in a decent sum of money for their midfielder if he isn’t to sign a new deal.

But for Newcastle and Spurs, the potential interest coming from City could prove a serious issue with Pep Guardiola’s side being able to offer him a regular battle for the Premier League title.

The issue with City may lie in whether the player feels he could secure himself regular football with the likes of Kalvin Phillips having recently moved to the Etihad Stadium and struggling to establish himself in the side.

Regardless of what teams are in the race to sign Maddison in the summer, it does feel as if landing a spot in the Champions League could be essential for the Toon if they are to pursue the 26-year-old.

Manchester United are interested in making a move for Roma and England striker Tammy Abraham this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Abraham improves in Italy

The Englishman made what was arguably a surprise move to Italy back in 2021, joining Roma in a deal that was reportedly worth £34million.

Abraham has justified his price tag for Roma, however, scoring 17 Serie A goals in a very productive 2021/22 season and netting 34 times in total since arriving.

Now, it could be that a new challenge is heading the 25-year-old’s way, following a key update regarding his future.

The Latest: Man Utd ‘monitoring’ striker

According to 90min, United are ‘monitoring’ Abraham’s current situation ahead of a potential summer move, but Aston Villa are the current front-runners to sign him.

The striker’s current Roma deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2026 but they are ‘ready to discuss selling’ following a slight drop off in form this season.

The Verdict: Is he good enough?

Abraham is undoubtedly a good player, having scored three times in 11 caps for England and being described as ‘big’ and ‘mobile’ by former striker Kevin Campbell.

There is an argument to say that United required a higher calibre of striker than him this summer, however, with the 6 ft 3 former Chelsea man not in that elite bracket in his position.

The Red Devils continue to be linked with a move for Napoli star Victor Osimhen and he is on another level to Abraham, having scored 18 league goals in as many starts this season.

This is the standard of player that United need to be signing to lead their attack, and with Abraham potentially costing more than £40million, they would be wise to look at other options.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Hugo Ekitike heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Magpies are now speaking with his agent to agree on personal terms after ironing out a fee with Stade Reims.

He tweeted:

“Hugo Ekitike deal. Newcastle and Reims have full agreement on €30m fee plus €5m add-ons, agent is now in talks with Newcastle after being given permission by Reims. #NUFC Work in progress as Newcastle have been leading the race for weeks.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will surely be delighted by this update for multiple reasons.

Firstly, they will be buzzing with the proactive approach that is being taken by the club. The window officially opens next Friday and they are already closing in on their first signing ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Doing their business as early as possible will help to avoid a repeat of their January deadline day failings. PIF attempted to sign both Ekitike and Jesse Lingard on the final day of the window and both deals fell through, leaving them with no time to source alternative targets.

Attempting to make signings in the early part of the window will, therefore, allay any fears of that happening again to Newcastle. For example, if this deal for Ekitike now hits a stumbling block then they will still have over two months to find and sign another centre-forward.

The supporters will also be delighted with this update because Ekitike would be an exciting addition to the squad next season. He is a promising young talent who has already proven that he can perform at the top level and the fans will surely be keen to see him continue his development at St. James’ Park.

In Ligue 1, the 19-year-old produced 10 goals and three assists in 15 starts as he showcased his knack for finding the back of the net on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson was Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League with eight goals in 16 starts – the only Toon player with more than five strikes.

This suggests that, if he can adapt to English football, Ekitike can provide a much-needed goalscoring threat to support the ex-Bournemouth hitman.

The fans will be delighted to see another striker with the potential to score goals on a regular basis come through the door and it is now down to Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe to get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Imagine him & ASM: Howe can form scary NUFC duo with 58-goal hotshot who has “swagger”…

Victor Orta is eyeing up a Leeds United swoop for Manchester United’s James Garner heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, the Yorkshire giants are one of three Premier League clubs keen on the midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that Leicester and Southampton are also keen on the youngster, with the former said to be willing to wait it out for his availability this summer.

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It remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils will be willing to send him out on loan, or a permanent deal, as Erik ten Hag is set to run the rule over his players in the coming weeks.

Jesse Marsch needs him badly

The American head coach needs Garner at Elland Road as he is badly in need of midfield reinforcements in the upcoming window.

No Whites central midfielder averaged a SofaScore rating higher than 6.85 and Mateusz Klich – who played 33 times – averaged an unimpressive score of 6.67. This suggests that Marsch does not have an array of quality in his options in the middle of the park, which is why Orta must look to bring in one, or two, players to bolster his selection.

Garner can be the player Leeds need as he has shown that he has the potential to be an excellent player at Premier League level.

The 21-year-old has enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship and earned plaudits for his displays.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson previously heaped praise on him, saying:

“Garner has been exceptional at Forest. He is an example of why players get sent out on loan.

“He can play at the top level and I think he has proven that at Forest. I don’t think he’s one that will go straight into the Man United side but I think there is a first-team role there for him and he will feature next season.”

These comments highlight how well the gem has performed and his statistics back that up.

In the Championship, he averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.26 as he scored four goals and created eight from midfield in 41 outings.

The £20k-per-week dynamo has been outstanding in the second tier and this is why he may have the ability to make the step up to the top flight.

If he can adapt to Premier League football and produce a similar level of displays then he will be an incredible signing for the Lillywhites and exactly what Marsch needs to improve his lacklustre midfield options.

AND in other news, Huge transfer twist emerges that will have Leeds United supporters buzzing…

West Ham United are believed to be leading the transfer race for New York City striker Valentin Castellanos, according to a report by The Mirror.

The Lowdown: West Ham register interest in Castellanos

The 23-year-old joined the MLS club on a season-long loan from Atletico Torque four years ago before making the switch permanently in 2019. He has since gone on to make 126 appearances at the Yankee Stadium, with 76 goal contributions during that time.

The Argentine’s contract with his current club isn’t set to expire until 2025, but after previously admitting that he wanted to leave New York in a bid to boost his chances of playing for his country, his future is very much up in the air.

It now appears that there is some Premier League interest in the 5 foot 10 predator in the form of West Ham.

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The Latest: West Ham in ‘pole position’ for Castellanos

The Mirror reported that West Ham are now in ‘pole position’ to secure Castellanos’ signature, with competitors River Plate ‘struggling’ to meet the £12.8m valuation that Ronny Deila’s side have put on the 23-year-old.

The report added that the asking price ‘won’t be any problem’ for the Irons, who believe that the attacker is a ‘gamble worth taking’ for the fee that New York City are demanding.

The Verdict: Competition for Antonio

Despite a healthy seventh-place league finish and securing European football for next season, David Moyes is in desperate need of a new striker considering that Michail Antonio is the only natural centre-forward at West Ham.

With the Jamaica international now 32 and rather injury-prone, Castellanos could be the perfect candidate to provide some serious competition for the Hammers’ number nine.

The Mendoza-born talent, who was once hailed as a “top class” player by his manager Deila, has been in prolific form in the MLS this season, having scored seven goals and registered one assist in just ten league appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

The forward won the MLS Golden Boot award last year and was even voted the league’s Most Valuable Player, which sounds like exactly the profile of striker that Moyes would want to have at the London Stadiun ahead of the 2022/23 season.

In other news… a transfer insider has claimed that West Ham are set to make an official ‘offer’ for one of their summer targets