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Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a summer move for Leeds United defender Robin Koch, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild needed?

Antonio Conte accused his players of lacking ‘spirit’ in his post-match press conference after the 3-3 draw against Southampton yesterday afternoon, indicating the club could be in need of a summer rebuild, regardless of whether the manager stays.

The Lilywhites have been linked with new options at the back for quite some time now, with versatile Stuttgart defender Borna Sosa said to be of interest, while RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol is a more outlandish target.

However, Spurs could also look at bringing in a new option that has proven Premier League experience, with Koch emerging as a potential signing in recent days…

The Latest: Koch targeted

As per a report from Football Insider, Tottenham are in the market for a new centre-back this summer, and they have shortlisted the Leeds defender as a target, in light of him still not committing to a contract extension beyond the end of next season.

The Yorkshire club could look to cash in on the 26-year-old at the end of the current season to ensure that he doesn’t end up leaving for free in 2024, opening the door for a potential move to north London.

Spurs believe the centre-back could be available on the cheap this summer if Leeds are relegated to the Championship, so they are expected to continue to monitor the situation.

The Verdict: Get it done?

After the 3-3 draw against Southampton at the weekend, it is evident Spurs have glaring deficiencies in defence, with Eric Dier putting in a very poor performance, while Clement Lenglet has also been unconvincing this season, being heavily criticised by John Wenham.

Koch has been hailed by sections of the media for some of his performances this season, with pundit Clinton Morrison describing him as ‘outstanding’ after his performance against Brentford back in January.

However, the 6 foot 3 colossus has not stood out for Leeds, recording an average Sofascore match rating of just 6.72, ranking him as just the sixth-best performing defender in the squad, below the likes of Maximilian Wober and Rasmus Kristiansen.

As such, the eight-time Germany international may not be the huge upgrade that Spurs need in defence, and so he could only be targeted as a rotation option, rather than as the club’s main target to strengthen the centre-back area.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has slammed Rangers manager Michael Beale for not starting Nicolas Raskin in the Scottish League Cup final.

What’s the latest on Beale, Raskin and Rangers?

The Ibrox outfit were unable to taste victory this weekend against bitter rivals Celtic as they lost 2-1 at Hampden Park despite a consolation effort from Alfredo Morelos.

Indeed, a goal in each half from Kyogo Furuhashi was enough to condemn Rangers to defeat and so question marks will understandably be asked of the tactical decisions made by Beale on the day.

For instance, when talking on the BBC phone-in radio show 606, Sutton suggested that it was “strange” to see Raskin left out of the starting team.

He said (46:20): “Well Raskin’s had a good start to his Rangers career. I actually thought that that was a strange decision or possibly a strange decision.

I understand, I think Michael Beale said before the game that in a couple of really big performances, I think the Hearts performance – that was the same team which played against Hearts at Tynecastle.”

Was it a mistake not to star Raskin in the cup final?

As mentioned by Sutton, Beale did pick the exact same starting XI in this cup final as he did in the impressive 3-0 away win against Hearts at Tynecastle earlier on in the month.

And so it’s easy to see why the Rangers manager perhaps felt as if he had found a winning formula on that occasion and didn’t want to tamper with it against Celtic.

Even so, Raskin has started well in Scotland after arriving from Standard Liege this winter. Indeed, he may have played just four times for the club but he’s already won plenty of praise from his new set of fans.

Despite that, he only managed to come on in the 65th minute of the game and was unable to turn the final in Rangers’ favour. Perhaps Beale will regret not starting him when he assesses the defeat this week.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Loris Karius is reportedly a transfer target for Inter Milan this summer.

The Lowdown: Cup final debut

Karius made his Newcastle debut in their 2-0 loss to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday evening, and impressed Eddie Howe despite the defeat, with the manager hailing his saves, distribution and all-round demeanour.

Indeed, the German made eight saves in total, with three of those coming from inside the penalty box, as he kept his team in it right up until the last minute.

The Latest: Inter Milan interest

As per FC Inter News, Karius has been named as a replacement for Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic in a development just in the last couple of weeks, with his contract up in the summer.

Karius’ deal at St. James’ Park also expires this summer, leaving his long-term future in doubt.

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The Verdict: Keep him!

The Magpies will not find many better third-choice goalkeepers behind Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka than Karius, and so they should be looking to extend his  contract and keep him at the club beyond this season.

Lauded as a ‘mentality monster‘ by his agent Corey Anton for his mental recovery after making two howlers which cost Liverpool the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid back in 2018, it would have been difficult for the 29-year-old to have all eyes on him in another major final on Sunday.

However, he stepped up to the plate with some crucial saves to keep the score at 2-0, and has gained a vast amount of experience at his age, including in the Premier League with Liverpool.

It may be tempting for Karius to jump to a club currently competing in the Champions League in Inter, but the Tynesiders are striving to get there, and so he should be looking to stay put.

Ewan Murray believes that not having control over signings would put Ange Postecoglou off the Leeds United move.

The Lowdown: Postecoglou not in the frame

While Sky Sports have indeed spoken about how long Leeds United have tracked Postecoglou, and believe he is ‘highly regarded’, it looks as though he isn’t featuring very prominently on their list of potential candidates.

This is because they have seemingly been interested in people such as Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola and Arne Slot already, with very little success coming out of any of their pursuits.

However, Posetcoglou may not even be a suitable fit for Leeds as he clearly has the final say on all transfers given the number of players that have arrived from the J-League, a league in which he worked in for a decent amount of time, and it’s unclear if he’d get that control at Elland Road.

The Latest: Lack of control may put Postecoglou off

Murray has spoken on The Press Box podcast that Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani not relinquishing control over transfers could be why Postecoglou doesn’t leave Celtic for Leeds right now.

He said: (4:15) “He is the master of all before him at Celtic and Celtic sign players that he wants to sign, they don’t have a sporting director, they have a recruitment department obviously but the manager has his own knowledge of players that Celtic sign in conjunction with the chief executive that is what they do.

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“He wouldn’t get that element of control certainly not at a Premier League club in England where there are layers upon layers, of sporting directors and more interference for more of a better word from recruitment people, he wouldn’t get the scope he has at Celtic to do his job and he will know that.

“If you were him you’d be careful where you went to because there are not many clubs in major leagues in Europe that would give him that level of control.”

The Verdict: Leeds look to have other ideas

There hasn’t been much talk of Leeds going for someone such as Postecoglou but after being rejected by Slot from Feyenoord, they may well look towards the Australian as someone they could tempt.

With their next game on Sunday, it appears very clear that someone won’t be in the dugout on a permanent basis, but Orta and Radrizzani must get someone in at the beginning of next week as they have a huge game against Everton.

Whoever is going to be the next Leeds manager will want as much time as possible to look at what they will be working with as it’s a squad that was seemingly assembled for Jesse Marsch, only for the boss to be sacked a few days after the window closed, showing he probably had little say on the signings.

Chelsea remain in contact with Moises Caicedo over a switch to Stamford Bridge this month, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Chelsea’s interest

As per Transfermarkt, the Blues’ incredible spending this season has seen them splash €460.49m (£400m) since Todd Boehly’s arrival, with Noni Madueke becoming the latest of six winter signings at the Premier League side.

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo is next on their list of wanted incomings, with the Evening Standard recently reporting that the Seagulls are holding out for a £75m fee amid no intention or need to sell the 21-year-old.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Unsurprisingly, considering their winter business so far, the price tag hasn’t looked to put off the Blues, with Romano revealing on his YouTube channel that Chelsea are still in talks with the player’s representatives.

He said: “I’m told Chelsea are still there. Chelsea are still speaking to people close to Moises Caicedo, still waiting to understand what happens with Brighton.

“Brighton have no intention to let the player leave at normal bids in January, but this could change in case Chelsea make a really important proposal. It’s not the only name [on] the list, so let’s see how Chelsea will decide to proceed with Caicedo, but for sure, it’s one to watch in the final days of the window.”

The Verdict: Can it be done?

Boehly’s transfer dealings leave no boundaries to what Chelsea can still achieve in the market over the remainder of the window.

Caicedo has been imperative to Brighton this season, with him starting all but one Premier League game, with the Seagulls currently sixth in the table and only two points behind fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.

The Ecuadorian’s rise is largely thanks to Graham Potter’s work with him on the south coast, so we think the Englishman would surely jump at the chance to be reunited with his former midfielder whilst weakening a potential European-chasing outfit, with the Blues trailing Brighton by two points having played a game more.

With Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Denis Zakaria all potentially leaving Stamford Bridge at the end of the season with their contracts expiring, Caicedo, described as “incredible” by Ryan Adsett, could be the man to build the new engine room around at Chelsea.

Liverpool ‘very much admire’ Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo but a deal would be ‘messy’, according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Caicedo allegedly wants to join

The Premier League giants have held a long-standing interest in the 21-year-old having targeted a late move for him last summer, and whilst it failed to materialise at the time, he’s recently offered his admirers fresh hope that a future deal could get completed.

Football Insider report that the Ecuadorian, who they claim to be valued at £70m, has told his friends that he’d love to make the move to Anfield should the opportunity arise and has even changed agents to prepare for a big-money transfer.

The Latest: Problem…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs confirmed that the Merseyside outfit are hugely fond of Caicedo, but revealed that striking a deal this month could prove ‘problematic’ due to the agents involved.

“They very much admire the player and have done historically. When he was at Independiente del Valle before he joined Brighton, they did explore signing Moises Caicedo.

“It’s what’s been termed to me as a messy deal because even though Brighton could be persuaded to sell for a high price this January, the representation side of things is problematic. There’s more than one agent and he also changed his agent towards the back end of the summer.”

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The Verdict: Hold off for a bit

Caicedo is undoubtedly one of the top-flight’s most attractive players right now, but the Reds would be best waiting to pursue him until the summer if they are serious about landing him.

The Santo Domingo native’s contract at The Amex isn’t set to expire until 2025 so the Seagulls are under no pressure to let him go, and even if they did, £70m is a hefty sum for FSG to cash out in January, especially having already signed Cody Gakpo.

The Brighton star is seemingly keen to make the switch to Merseyside, but it’s important that the two parties reach an agreement when both the time and costs involved are right.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s Evan Ndicka…

What’s the talk?

German journalist Christian Falk has confirmed that Antonio Conte’s side, along with Arsenal and AC Milan, are in talks with the player’s agent over a potential move to England.

The centre-back’s deal with Eintracht Frankfurt expires in the summer and this means that Spurs can snap him up for nothing at the end of the season.

Falk told CaughtOffside: “I think there’s a good chance that he’ll sign this contract but there are many clubs interested at the moment, one of them is Arsenal. It’s not so concrete that Frankfurt are really afraid of losing him.

“They also know what his qualities are at the moment, so perhaps it’s too much of a big step for him at this point. They hope that they will sign him up on another contract. Arsenal, Tottenham and AC Milan – I think they’re all talking to the agent but it’s not massively concrete at the moment as Gladbach are confident about their chances of extending his contract.”

Clement Lenglet upgrade

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once claimed that Ndicka is “born to play” on the left of a three-man centre-back set-up, which indicates that he would be perfect for Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system.

He could, therefore, take Clement Lenglet’s place in the squad at the end of the season once the Frenchman returns to Barcelona upon the expiry of his current loan deal.

The central defender has been fairly unimpressive in his spell in England thus far as he has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across 11 Premier League appearances to date, after averaging a score of 6.67 in La Liga for Barcelona last season.

Ndicka, who German reporter Christopher Michel once hailed as both a “leader” and “incredible”, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.12 across 32 outings in the Bundesliga for Frankfurt last term.

The 6 foot 2 French machine made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per outing, won 60% of his individual duels, and completed 84% of his attempted passes. This indicates that he constantly looks to win the ball back for his side and is able to do so efficiently, whilst also being reliable in possession.

His average performance level in the Bundesliga last term, and Kulig’s comment about his position, suggest that he could be a terrific signing for Spurs and a big upgrade on Lenglet once his compatriot departs Conte’s side.

The Barcelona man’s average rating over the last 18 months has left a lot to be desired and Ndicka could offer more to the Italian’s team on a weekly basis, if he can adapt to English football and hit his best form.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter is eyeing the future of the club with ravenous ambition, and has identified one of the sport’s most touted stars to potentially replace a current option who is attracting interest from Italy. 

What’s the word?

Mason Mount has become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge; a boyhood Blue, he has been an integral cog in the machine since his ascension to the first-team several years ago.

But with contract talks on pause, Mount finds himself earnestly observed by Italian giants Juventus, withCalciomercatowebreporting that Old Lady boss Massimiliano Allegri is even willing to sell up to three players to make room for the England star. 

Chelsea would undoubtedly be reserved over parting with their ace, who has already proved invaluable for the club, winning the2020/21Champions League, but his departure could turn the page to a deal of truly seismic proportions. 

Space cleared to swoop

Mount would likely garner a lucrative fee, and while many surrounding Chelsea would resent the deal to see their star boy depart, his exit could indeed shift attention to the signing of Jude Bellingham, with a marked increase in confidence over the completion of the deal sure to follow.

Bellingham, still only 19-years-old, is valued at£129mand has become one of football’s most talented young prospects, labelled a “prodigy” and playing with the maturity and leadership of an established midfield powerhouse at the top of the game, with an abundance of experience. 

Lauded as “powerful” and a “superstar” by Premier League legendRoy Keane, Bellingham has recently found himself at the centre of heavyinterestfrom the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

However, despite intrigue from the world’s most distinguished outfits, Chelsea might feel they hold an advantage should Mount depart, with the hefty fee required and the newfound slot in the team factors that point towards a deal closing on completion. 

And with reports stemming from South Americastatingthat Liverpool have agreed a deal from summer 2023 for Argentina’s 21-year-old World Cup phenom Enzo Fernandez, the door is well and truly paved open.

Whether Chelsea choose to depart Mount, who is viewed by many as a natural leader and a prospective future captain at the club, will remain to be seen, but his 32 goals and 37 assists across181appearances have been crucial to the Blues’ success over the past few years.

AndFBrefranks him within the top 19% of midfielders for assists, the top 15% for progressive passes received and the top 11% for tackles, across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year, and his robust presence at the beating heart of the Chelsea project will need to be meticulously assessed, if the club are indeed going to decide to part with him. 

Though, in Bellingham they’d have a perfect replacement, with Mount’s England teammate comparatively ranking in the top 14% for assists, best 6% for progressive passes receives and the top 35% for tackles.

Leeds United remain interested in signing Boulaye Dia, following his side’s World Cup exit last night…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who gave his view on recent reports suggesting that Victor Orta is eyeing a move to bring him to Elland Road.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “He’s exciting and he was always going to be one of the players expected to be a breakout from the World Cup.

“He’s very confident, he’s got a lot of belief in himself, the people around him believe that he is ready for the next step in his career and that the Premier League is possible, so it would make sense to me that Leeds and Everton should be seriously looking at him right now.“

Could be an “exciting” signing

As Jones notes, there was always a belief that this Senegalese star would shine in Qatar.

He was one of the most in-form players going into the tournament having scored six times and assisted twice in 14 Serie A games on loan at Salernitana, with the 26-year-old continuing to build upon his seven-goal and six-assist campaign the season prior.

To see him crash out in thumping fashion at the hands of England will be a bittersweet moment for most football fans across the country, given how Dia has been linked to many clubs, but it could now be the catalyst for Villarreal to start fielding offers.

Should the Whites secure him, he has already proven exactly why he would be an exciting signing.

Having scored against Qatar, his pace and power – two qualities that Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo don’t exactly possess – proved a constant threat to the opposition as he occupied defenders with ease.

He would average 2.0 shots per game and nearly put his side ahead last night, forcing Jordan Pickford into a fine save as he blasted a left-footed strike across goal. He consistently caused Harry Maguire problems with his ability to get in behind a key facet of his game and indeed Senegal’s game plan.

Those efforts on goal would then be paired with a 50% dribble success rate, further outlining him as a multifaceted threat.

Given the continued absence of Bamford through injury, and the recent reliance on the goals of Rodrigo, this deal is exactly what Jesse Marsch needs to add even more firepower to his side in a bid to secure their status in the Premier League.

Any attacking addition is an exciting one, but that is especially the case with Dia. Orta simply must swoop in January.

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly sent scouts to watch Marcus Thuram and Youssoufa Moukoko in action last week. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ transfer history

The north London club have not been shy when it comes to signing players from clubs across Europe’s top leagues. The likes of Ivan Perisic, Cristian Romero, Dejan Kulusevski, Emerson Royal and Bryan Gil, among others, have all moved to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent years from overseas clubs.

It now appears that the Lilywhites have their eyes on potentially signing two players who are currently doing the business in Germany.

The Latest: Spurs scouts watch Thuram and Moukoko

According to a recent report from 90min, Tottenham had officials in attendance to watch Thuram and Moukoko in Friday’s clash between Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund, with the former scoring in a 4-2 win for his team.

The report added that Spurs and Manchester United were also keeping a watchful eye over Monchengladbach and United States right-back Joe Scally, who has impressed officials from both clubs this year.

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The Verdict: Tough choice for Spurs

Focusing on Thuram, the Monchengladbach attacker has had more shots at goal (56) and more shots on target (30) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season.

With Moukoko, the 17-year-old has netted six goals and provided three assists across his 14 league games, making him Dortmund’s top scorer in the division.

Even though only Manchester City (40) and Arsenal (33) have scored more goals in the Premier League this season than Spurs (31), the fact that the Lilywhites have been scouting these two players suggests that Antonio Conte wants to add more attacking power to his squad.

Taking all that into account, it’s easy to see why the north London club reportedly sent their scouts to watch the two attacking players in action. Given how impressive they have both been this season, it could be a tough decision for Spurs to make over which player they decide to pursue in the future.