Tottenham Hotspur may have hit the jackpot with Cristian Romero after his stunning return to the side following a serious injury…

Summer signing

The 23-year-old was one of sporting director Fabio Paratici’s first signings at the club after he was appointed in the summer but he has struggled for much game time, especially under new manager Antonio Conte due to a long-term injury.

Indeed, Romero played for only the third time under the Italian and his 14th time for the club at the weekend as Spurs advanced into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a resounding victory over top-flight rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.

Important player

His display was almost as if he had never left that backline – as per SofaScore, he won 75% of his duels, made five clearances, put in four tackles and two interceptions and even completed 97% of his passes.

It was an all-round ball-playing and defensive masterclass which was rewarded with high praise indeed.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas dubbed the £31.5m-rated colossus a “Rolls-Royce”, whilst former Lilywhites goalkeeper Paul Robinson described him as “a phenomenal defender” who is easily the best at the club to Football Insider.

Romero is the sort of centre-back that Spurs have been missing for years – someone aggressive in the tackle but so deft in the touch, to the point of being a genuine outlet to start their attacks, especially since the departures of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.

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Conte has since emphasised the Argentine’s importance to their success this season, speaking ahead of Wednesday’s match against Southampton, he told reporters (via football.london):

“He is an important player for me. He is [like] a new signing for me because he played three games with me, and only one game in the league. He is an important player for me and the team. He is strong and he anticipates, he has a good personality to play with the ball. He has good experience and I like him. He has a lot of space for improvement.”It would be fair to suggest that the former Atalanta man is something of an absolute steal for Spurs, having initially signed him on loan from the Serie A outfit. The north Londoners will soon see just how much they have hit the jackpot with his signature – if they haven’t already.It’s surely a dream deal for Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy as he will become a permanent player for €55m (£42m) in the summer.

AND in other news, Conte could take Spurs to the next level by signing £27m-rated “leader”, he’d love him…

Sunderland slumped to their fourth loss in five games in League One with a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of MK Dons on Saturday afternoon.

Ross Stewart was on the scoresheet once again, but goals from Mohamed Eisa and former Black Cats striker Connor Wickham were enough to give the visitors all three points, and pour more misery on new manager Alex Neil.

There were some very underwhelming performances from the hosts on the day, and The Transfer Tavern have now used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three worst players (to have played at least 45 minutes) were:

Anthony Patterson – 6.4

Having conceded two goals, goalkeeper Patterson ranks in third here with a 6.4 overall rating.

He only managed 33 touches of the ball in total, but gave possession away 12 times through inaccurate long balls, and only managed a mere 56% pass accuracy, the second-lowest in the team.

Daniel Neil – 6.2

With a 6.2 rating, Neil ranks as the second-worst performer for the Wearside club.

The central midfield player lost out on six of his duels, and also failed to record a single shot, successful dribble, clearance or key pass in the game, losing the ball 11 times in total.

Leon Dajaku – 6.0

With just a six overall score, Dajaku was ranked as the worst SAFC player on the pitch.

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The winger was unsuccessful in seven of his duels, and also never managed a shot on target, dribble, key pass or accurate cross, while he too gave the ball away on 11 occasions.

In other news, find out what Stewart Donald twist James Hunter has shared here!

Journalist Tim Spiers voiced his excitement after Wolves youngster Nathan Fraser signed his first professional contract at the club, describing the teenager as ‘definitely one to watch.’

The Lowdown: Fraser shining at youth level for Wolves

The 17-year-old may be a relative unknown away from Molineux but he is making waves with his performances at youth team level.

Fraser has scored six goals in 17 appearances for the club’s under-18 side, including five in his last six appearances and one in the FA Youth Cup against Brighton over the weekend.

It has now been confirmed that the 17-year-old has signed his first professional contract at Wolves following nine years at the club.

The Latest: Spiers excited by new deal for Fraser

Reacting to the news via Twitter on Monday, Spiers proclaimed his happiness with the development, tipping Fraser to have a bright future in the game

The journalist tweeted of the youngster: “Scored five in his last six including in the FA Youth Cup on Saturday and signed his pro deal on his 17th birthday. Not a bad week.

“Academy boss Jon Hunter-Barrett: ‘Nathan scores goals, it’s as simple as that.’ Definitely one to watch.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“388797″]

The Verdict: One for the future

Seeing a young player emerging through the youth ranks is always hugely exciting for fans of any club, and it is no different with Wolves and Fraser.

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The hope is that the striker can mature into a formidable first-team player eventually, perhaps even being viewed as a long-term replacement for 30-year-old Raul Jimenez.

It would be wrong to put too much pressure on Fraser’s young shoulders, though, and for the time being, he should simply focus on continuing to thrive in the underage ranks before he is genuinely ready for a senior bow.

In other news, Spiers slammed one Wolves player’s performance in the defeat to West Ham. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer swoop for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is also subject to interest from the Magpies’ Premier League rivals Manchester United.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian outlet Il Mattino, the Newcastle hierarchy are keen on bringing the 23-year-old to the northeast in the summer, with the required transfer fee expected to be hefty.

The Serie A outfit signed the Nigerian striker from French side Lille in September 2020 for a reported fee of around €80m, but the Italian club are looking to cash in.

It’s no secret that PIF are planning to spend big money in the summer, should United’s Premier League survival be confirmed, and the addition of Osimhen would be a major statement from the Tyneside outfit.

Newcastle must sign Osimhen

Eddie Howe’s side have been in exceptional form of late, winning five of their last six Premier League matches. However, none of the ten goals scored during this run have come from £25m January signing Chris Wood.

The New Zealand international is yet to find the back of the net since swapping Turf Moor for St.James’ Park in January and already looks to have been a waste of funds.

Granted, the Geordies desperately needed a striker with Callum Wilson injured, but seem likely to quickly turn their attention away from the 30-year-old and onto the possibility of adding a bigger name to their ranks.

The Nigeria international has seen his campaign halted by a cheekbone fracture suffered in November that ruled the striker out of playing at the African Cup of Nations.

Regardless, the £54m-rated 23-year-old has still managed to score 11 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions so far for Napoli, already an improvement of last season’s tally of ten in 24 matches.

Earlier this campaign, Osimhen was showered with praise from Cagliari coach Walter Mazzari, who labelled the striker as “phenomenal.”

Moreover, in his sole campaign at Lille, the forward netted 18 goals and registered six assists in 38 appearances, earning him the big-money move to Naples.

However, striker won’t be the only position that Newcastle look to strengthen, but they already have quality out wide in Allan Saint-Maximin, who will only improve with a striker like Osimhen to create chances for.

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The 24-year-old has been a revelation since his move to Tyneside from Nice in summer 2019, scoring 12 goals and registering 14 assists in 82 appearances for a side that, during the majority of his spell, have been low-scoring and rigid.

Five of the Frenchman’s goals have come this campaign, alongside three assists, making the winger Newcastle’s second top-scorer behind Wilson, who has six goals to his name.

The prospect of Saint-Maximin and Osimhen playing alongside one another will be a mouth-watering concept for Newcastle fans and those at the top responsible for transfers should certainly target the Nigerian as a worthwhile asset to invest in.

In other news: Newcastle learn the latest on Callum Wilson’s fitness

Liverpool moved to just three points behind Manchester City in the Premier League table this afternoon, after beating Brighton away from home at the AMEX Stadium.

A brave header from Luis Diaz and a penalty from Mohamed Salah ensured victory for the Reds, who have once again piled pressure on the league leaders who face Crystal Palace away from home on Monday night.

However, the best performance of the game came from centre-back Joel Matip, who helped keep the very real Brighton threat at bay with an excellent defensive performance, earning him the highest match rating from the game with a 7.9 according to SofaScore.

On top of his assist, he completed four of his other six long balls that he attempted – which really troubled Brighton particularly when it came from a diagonal angle to find either Trent-Alexander Arnold or Andy Robertson.

Continuing on from his solid recent form which earned him the Premier League Player of the Month award, created Diaz’ goal with a perfect long ball over the top forward.

Once hailed as a “dominant” player by former Reds hero Sami Hyypia, the defender showed that side of his game again, winning 100% of his duels, with all four of them coming in the air.

With the lead at just two goals, Matip was integral in his own defensive third too, making five important clearances to avert any danger away in order to keep a clean sheet.

Klopp praised the Cameroonian 30-year-old prior to the game after he won the Player of the Month award, saying: “I don’t like individual prizes for players too much, but if there was one who should have won it, it makes sense that it was Joel.”

“Who votes for it? Was it his mum? The Premier League? A panel? I think I criticised the Premier League quite frequently, but I have to say now; you have made worse decisions!

“Believe me, if there is one person on this planet who couldn’t care less if we all under-rate him, it’s Joel Matip! Honestly. He doesn’t even realise, probably.

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“He’s just happy to be here with these boys. He’s a really smart person, but not in there kind of things. He never thinks, ‘my God, I should have another status’ or whatever. Not at all.”

With Liverpool aiming to keep up the pressure until the end on Manchester City or even leapfrog them sooner, Matip will be integral to Klopp’s plans, and has been one of the standout players this season.

In other news: Klopp suffers rare LFC howler over 15-goal gem, his value’s soared 131% since leaving

Luke Ayling, Junior Firpo and Jack Harrison all struggled in Leeds United’s hugely disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

The Whites hosted Steven Gerrard’s side on Thursday evening, in what was another massive game in their fight to remain in the Premier League.

Goals from Philippe Coutinho, Matty Cash and a scarcely believable finish from Calum Chambers consigned Leeds to a grim defeat, however, as a return to the Championship feels increasingly likely.

According to Sofascore, these were the Whites’ three worst players on the night, out of those to have played at least 45 minutes of action – could all three be in danger of losing their place in Jesse Marsch’s team after letting him down this week?

Luke Ayling – 6.4

Ayling was used at centre-back by Marsch against Villa but didn’t have his best evening of the season.

The 30-year-old only managed to win one out of four aerial duels, not to mention being dribbled past a fairly alarming four times overall and losing the ball twice.

Ayling also failed to read the game well, not even mustering up a single interception against Gerrard’s men, understandably looking like someone playing out of position.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

Junior Firpo – 5.8

Firpo earned the lowest rating at Elland Road, as his disappointing first season at Leeds continues.

The former Barcelona man lost possession a sizeable 18 times in total and none of the six long balls he attempted ended up finding their intended target.

Firpo committed two fouls as well, prior to being stretchered off, which summed up his evening.

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Jack Harrison – 6.3

Harrison was the third Whites player deemed to be the poorest against Villa, with the winger struggling ever since his stunning hat-trick at West Ham in January.

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The 25-year-old didn’t make an interception all night, like both Ayling and Firpo, and he also gave the ball away on 19 occasions.

Harrison won only one ground duel of five, too, and failed to complete a successful dribble.

In other news, an injury expert has shared details regarding one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Journalist Dean Jones believes Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo will be ‘a big miss’ for Jesse Marsch, GiveMeSport report.  

The Lowdown: Norwich absence

Marsch hasn’t had the best of starts when it comes to injuries as Leeds boss, with Tyler Roberts suffering a ruptured hamstring tendon during his first game in charge against Leicester.

Firpo was the second casualty days later against Aston Villa, going off on a stretcher in the final stages of a 3-0 defeat at Elland Road.

Marsch stated that Firpo may have damaged his medial collateral ligament after colliding with Emiliano Buendia, with the Spaniard missing out against Norwich on Sunday.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport regarding Firpo’s injury, Jones claimed the 25-year-old would be missed.

“He’ll be a big miss, he’s their only left-back, they don’t have any other obvious candidates to fill that gap.”

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The Verdict: Dallas to the rescue

Youngster Liam McCarron is the only out-and-out left-back available to replace Firpo, however, he has played just nine minutes of senior football for the Whites.

The versatile Stuart Dallas was once again called upon to fill in for Firpo on Sunday, and it looks as if the Northern Irishman may have to provide cover for the rest of the season, should Firpo’s injury be serious damage to his MCL.

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We will hopefully learn more at Marsch’s pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to Wolves, where you’d expect Firpo will be ruled out along with Roberts.

In other news: Adam Pope: Leeds and Marsch may now be handed transfer embargo this summer as news emerges. 

Sunderland are competing to land a play-off spot in the third tier of English football this season and are currently sat sixth in the table.

The Black Cats have had a number of impressive performers in the team and one of them has been Stadium of Light academy graduate Dan Neil.

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.86 in League One as he has produced three goals and seven assists in 33 games. The 20-year-old appears to have a bright future ahead of him, but not every talented player who passes through the youth set-up is able to make it work on Wearside.

One player who has gone on to enjoy a fine career after failing to burst through with Sunderland is Republic of Ireland international Conor Hourihane.

The central midfielder made his way through the youth ranks and played for the club’s reserves before joining Ipswich Town on a free transfer in 2010 – with Transfermarkt valuing him at £45k at the time of the move.

He eventually made his way to Barnsley in 2014 and that is where he started to make a name for himself in the Championship. Hourihane produced 31 goals and 48 assists in 134 matches for the Yorkshire-based outfit in the third and second-tier and this led to him signing for Midlands giants Aston Villa in January 2017.

In his first two campaigns for the Villans, the Irishman recorded an exceptional 18 goals and 14 assists in the Championship as he proved himself to be a superb player at that level, with teammate Jack Grealish – now of Manchester City – claiming he has a “wand of a left foot”.

By December 2019 of the second season, Transfermarkt valued Hourihane at a whopping £6.75m – the apex of his career. This is a sensational 14,900% increase on the £45k he was valued at upon leaving Sunderland nine years earlier, with the midfielder proving the Black Cats wrong for allowing him to leave for nothing.

He was also able to showcase his quality in the Premier League for Villa. In the 2019/20 campaign, he averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.00 across 27 appearances as he chipped in with three goals and five assists in the top-flight.

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This suggests that Sunderland missed out on having an exceptional player at Championship level and someone with the capability to perform in the Premier League. Therefore, the Mackems fumbled Hourihane in their academy set-up and fans will surely look back and wonder what it would have been like to watch him in his peak scoring and assisting goals from midfield for the club.

AND in other news, Offer imminent: Speakman eyeing up big SAFC deal that’ll leave supporters buzzing…

Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn will evaluate his options in the summer transfer window.

What’s been said?

In recent comments cited by Algemeen Dagblad (via Sport Witness), the 24-year-old discussed his limited opportunities under the management of Antonio Conte, before suggesting that, if his situation at Tottenham does not improve over the remainder of the season, he could look to secure a move away from the Premier League side at the end of the current campaign.

Speaking after the Netherlands’ recent 1-1 draw with Germany, Bergwijn said: “I don’t get to play much at the club. I am happy that the national coach has called me up, that’s not [the] obvious [thing to do].

“You don’t forget about football. But of course, you feel that you don’t play that much. It was nice to be here again. We have a good and fun group.

“I wouldn’t know [whether his form for the Netherlands can improve his situation at his club], we’ll see. Everyone wants to play, of course. I have to keep my head up and work hard in training. Then we’ll see what happens in the summer.”

Conte must axe Bergwijn

While Bergwijn is undoubtedly an exceptionally talented player on his day, should Conte not be a fan of the Netherlands international, it would appear wise for the 52-year-old to move the forward on in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, since the Italian’s arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November last year, the £16.2m-rated winger – who John Wenham dubbed both “terrible” and “so out of form it’s untrue” earlier this season – has started just one Premier League fixture – playing a mere 215 minutes of league football over his 13 top-flight outings under Conte’s management.

However, in truth, the £73k-per-week attacker’s struggles at Spurs started long before the appointment of the former Inter Milan head coach, as, following his £27m signing back in January 2020, the 24-year-old has been given the nod from the off in just 25 Premier League fixtures – making a further 28 appearances from the bench.

And, considering his general level of performance over his two and a half years in north London, it is hardly surprising that the Dutchman has not managed to displace the likes of Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura, with Bergwijn averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.82 in 2019/20, 6.56 in 2020/21 and 6.75 so far this season – ranking him as Spurs’ 12th-best, worst and seventh-worst performer in each respective campaign.

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As such, with the winger having attracted interest in the January transfer window, still being just 24 years of age and possessing a decent Transfermarkt valuation, this summer would indeed appear the optimum time for Conte to offload the forward – as the price Tottenham can demand for Bergwijn would only decrease further after another season in which he spends the majority of his time on the bench.

AND in other news: Conte must finally axe “anonymous” 25 y/o Spurs dud who needs a “kick up the backside”

Gianluca Di Marzio has dropped an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s reported interest in a move for Lautaro Martinez.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by FcInter1908 (via Sport Witness), the Sky Sports Italia journalist revealed that, following earlier reports suggesting that Antonio Conte has made the Inter Milan centre-forward one of his priority targets in the summer transfer window, there is a very good chance Fabio Paratici does make another move for the 24-year-old at the end of the current campaign.

Speaking about Spurs’ interest in the Argentina international, Di Marzio said: “Who will Tottenham go to if they qualify for the Champions League? Surely Antonio Conte wants another striker.

“We know that, even before he arrived in London, Fabio Paratici had tried to take Lautaro Martinez, but then Inter sold Lukaku and could not sell both.

“I expect a possible Tottenham offensive for him. Then it is true that he has renewed, but it is possible that Tottenham could present themselves again and we’ll see what kind of offer they might present.”

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Spurs supporters will love Di Marzio’s update

With backup and competition for Harry Kane having been something of an issue for Tottenham in recent years, with the club’s last permanent signing of a centre-forward being Fernando Llorente back in August 2017 – who subsequently left Spurs for Napoli just two years later – the suggestion that Paratici could pursue a deal for Martinez this summer is sure to be an update the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.

Indeed, the thought of the £63m-rated Argentine and Kane linking up in a front two in north London is an incredibly exciting one – not to mention being a duo that would somewhat replicate Conte’s devastating attacking two during Inter’s Scudetto-winning campaign under the 52-year-old.

Last season, in the Italian manager’s preferred 3-5-2 formation, Romelu Lukaku and Martinez scored 41 goals and registered 17 assists between them in the league, with Lukaku averaging an incredibly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.32 and Martinez averaging a 7.17 rating – ranking the duo as Conte’s first and third-best performers in Serie A respectively.

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As such, it is clear for all to see that the prospect of Kane – who himself has scored 12 goals, provided six assists and averaged a SofaScore match rating of 7.29 in the Premier League this season – taking the place of Lukaku in this tandem will be a thought that terrifies defenders up and down the country.

And, with it being reported that Inter will be willing to listen to offers beginning at €70m (£59m) for the €125k-per-week (£105k-per-week) striker this summer, a deal for Martinez is one that Daniel Levy could very much afford to sanction.

AND in other news: Conte can finally axe “horrendous” liability as Spurs plot talks for £17m “revelation”