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Tottenham Hotspur are a club often renowned for their shrewd business in the transfer markets, often opting for a cut-price alternative to the biggest, brightest and often most expensive targets they would like.

This has at least been the strategy under Daniel Levy, who is widely seen as one of the more frugal men in the Premier League.

Whilst this has often seen him unearth stars for bargain deals, it also forces the Lilywhites to miss out on players who could bolster the squad.

Although in the last few years that has changed, their last real splurge came after the world-record sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.

The misuse of the majority of those funds is still sneered at today, with the acquisition of Roberto Soldado often drawing the most criticism.

How did Roberto Soldado play at Spurs?

Signed for £26m, it was expected that the Spaniard would be able to uphold a Spurs strike force that was yet to be exposed to the talents of the now legendary talisman Harry Kane.

They sought a reliable goal scorer and bringing in someone who the season prior had just notched 24 goals in La Liga did make sense.

However, he was one of many who struggled to translate that into the English game, and his lack of proficiency in front of goal became a point of ridicule for the north London outfit.

In 52 appearances in the Premier League, Soldado would muster just seven goals, making his astronomical fee for the time even more foolish.

To compound this, the now 37-year-old spent his two years on a mouth-watering £105k-per-week contract which in turn swallowed another £10.8m from the pockets of Levy too.

GRAPHIC

In total he would drain the club of £36.8m, meaning it cost them £5.2m for every top-flight goal scored.

Back in 2015, it was suggested by journalist Kevin Palmer that had the forward not been “so useless” Spurs might have gone further in the Europa League that year too.

This had come two years after journalist Sam Tighe had suggested he might be the “flop of the season” given how “limited” he was.

Of the seven players enlisted to replace the sensational Bale, Soldado surely sits at the bottom of the list given his non-existent impact on the club whilst taking them for a ride financially.

Chelsea have a relentless stream of talent cascading from the prestigious Cobham academy, and one particular gem who could be the latest to wash up ashore among the seniors is dynamic full-back Somto Boniface.

The likes of Mason Mount and Reece James have been instrumental to the Blues' success over the past several years, gleaning the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, while West Ham United phenom Declan Rice plied his formative years on Chelsea's books before rising to the fore with the Irons, where he is now pushing for an exit and touted at £70m.

The club has been pulling no punches on the transfer front since the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly last year, spending roughly £600m, but remembering to entrust the youth ranks with opportunities to impress will go a long way to ensuring a multidimensional scope provides Chelsea with firepower and options from an abundance of fronts.

Manager Graham Potter must now consider unleashing starlet Somto Boniface, who has been catching the eye at youth level.

Who is Somto Boniface?

Since breaking into contention for Chelsea's academy, Boniface has made 15 displays for the U18 outfit, registering one assist.

The 17-year-old prospect is described as "versatile" on the club's official website, which could suit his qualities nicely to Potter's system, with the manager fluctuating his set-up from back-threes to traditional back-fours, with the dynamism of full-backs imperative to adapting to situations and deployments.

If Potter invests time and patience into nurturing the teenage talent, hailed as "impressive" by his talent agency, to prominence, he could even emulate the success of current starring left-back Ben Chilwell, excellent in his offensive capabilities marauding down the flank.

Signing for the west London outfit for £50m from Leicester City in 2020, Chilwell has made 77 appearances, scoring nine goals and registering 12 assists, heralded as "superlative" by podcasters in the past.

Ranking among the top 9% of full-backs in Europe for goals, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes recieved, as per FBref, the £190k-per-week phenom could be the perfect mentor to Boniface, guiding him on his path to prominence and providing invaluable insight into how to succeed as a transitional left-back.

There are lengthy strides still to be made until Boniface earns a chance to feature for Potter's crop with regularity, but if he continues to play as he has been at youth level, transferring his skills to the senior side, he could just emerge as Chelsea's latest prodigy.

Newcastle United have been in phenomenal form over the season so far and Eddie Howe will be hoping that the club can reap the rewards of the team's consistency by qualifying for the Champions League.

The Magpies are currently fifth in the top-flight table and just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth with two games in hand on their top-four rivals. That puts them in an excellent position to achieve their dreams of taking the final spot in the prestigious European competition next season.

Indeed, it is no secret that the North East club has become one of the richest on the planet following their Saudi takeover in late 2021 and the arrival of the new owners has sparked a new lease of life much quicker than expected due to their outstanding recruitment of players like Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes.

However, it has to be noted that the Newcastle boss has worked wonders on the players who were already on Tyneside before the club changed hands with Miguel Almiron, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton all flourishing and key components to the success under Howe despite suffering relegation troubles ahead of his appointment.

This week against Nottingham Forest, another player grasped the golden opportunity to prove himself in the highly competitive side with a fantastic performance from homegrown talent Elliot Anderson – a refreshing sight in a squad that has been significantly enhanced by costly incomings.

Should Howe unleash Anderson more often?

There is no doubt that it has become difficult for players to break into a formidable midfield set-up of Longstaff, Guimaraes and Joelinton this season with Jonjo Shelvey ultimately being granted a departure in the January transfer window.

Nevertheless, Anderson had no trouble staking his claim for a regular spot in the first team at the City Ground, coincidentally against Shelvey, where he put in an impressive performance out of position on the left flank.

Over his 45-minute performance, the £30k-per-week ace – hailed a "bright talent" by assistant head coach Jason Tindall – completed 100% of his dribbles, won four duels and two tackles, as well as having two shots on goal.

Anderson was also extremely unlucky to have his first-ever Premier League goal ruled out in a controversial VAR decision that struck off his phenomenal strike when Dan Burn was considered to be offside in the build-up for the goal. However, that takes nothing away from the young Geordie's outstanding effort.

It comes as no surprise that the 20-year-old excelled in the attacking phases of play as his style of play has remarkably been compared to that of a young Diego Maradona by Joey Barton whilst on loan with Bristol Rovers last season:

The former Newcastle man said: "I’ve been listening to Bill Shankley tapes a lot today.

"He talked a lot about a 19-year-old Diego Maradona and how he slows down in the penalty area, exactly like Elliot Anderson does. (He is) such a talent."

The performance put on by Anderson on the left flank could now spark another Joelinton moment for Howe.

Indeed, it is obvious that the youngster thrives in a more advanced role than his previously deployed position in midfield, and the manager could now nurture his clear strengths as he did with the Brazilian.

Joelinton's remarkable transformation from struggling striker to midfield dynamo is well-documented and that masterclass could well be replicated here, with a change of position potentially in the pipeline for Anderson.

With that being said, Howe should definitely look to incorporate the 20-year-old into more games over the remainder of the season as he has clearly shown he has all the potential to become an important part of the future at St James' Park.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has shared some ‘bad news’ for Tottenham Hotspur involving defender Ben Davies.

The Lowdown: Spurs chase top four…

Amid all the noise surrounding Antonio Conte and who Spurs’ next manager could be, the Lilywhites are still battling for a place in the Premier League top four.

Their hopes were slightly dented by a very disappointing 3-3 draw at Southampton last weekend, with the north Londoners squandered a 3-1 lead late in the game.

Conte launched a scathing attack on the club, his squad and even Tottenham’s board following the result and he didn’t hold back in the slightest.

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in),” he said.

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.”

The Latest: Spurs suffer blow…

Speaking on Sky (via Football Daily), reporter Bridge has shared a blow for Spurs in their race for a top four finish.

Indeed, Wales international and first team regular Davies is believed to have picked up a hamstring injury during Tottenham’s nightmare result against Southampton.

The 29-year-old now faces an extended spell on the sidelines.

Bridge explained:

“Some bad news for Tottenham Hotspur, Ben Davies picked up a hamstring injury against Southampton on Saturday. Real, real disappointment for him, he’s been playing very well, but that could keep him out for up to a month.”

The Verdict: Real worry…

The defender has been a mainstay under Conte and Stellini on the left side recently, proving his value in a Spurs side also containing Ivan Perisic for the wing-back role on that side.

Davies has started 21 games in the league this season, even pitching in with two goals and two assists, leaving Spurs potentially weakened for a good amount of time.

Newcastle currently have two games in hand over Spurs, and if they win both, the club could find themselves four points a drift of Eddie Howe’s men.

They need every boost possible in the race but this update comes as a worrying setback.

Tottenham Hotspur manager target Julian Nagelsmann has 'always looked' at Spurs as the 'perfect place' to build a platform, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Which managers do Spurs want?

Nagelsmann, who recently left German giants Bayern Munich in a shock departure, has been heavily linked with a move to north London with reports suggesting that contact has already been made.

The 35-year-old is viewed as a top target by Levy to replace Antonio Conte, coming after Spurs mutually agreed to terminate his deal by mutual consent earlier this week. Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason will be taking temporary charge until the end of this season – having been tasked with sealing a top four Premier League finish.

Nagelsmann isn't the only manager on Tottenham's radar, though, as many out-of-work and prestigious free agent bosses are also firmly in the running. Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique and even Zinedine Zidane have been mentioned as potential candidates.

Levy's next move will be a crucial one and it is believed he is widening his scope despite the serious interest in Nagelsmann. Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt), Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton), Ange Postecoglou (Celtic) and other in-work coaches are also linked on a consistent basis.

Now, speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones has shared a fairly promising update on Spurs and Nagelsmann – claiming the German has 'always' viewed N17 as the 'perfect' job to build a project.

It is also believed that the ex-RB Leipzig tactician would be 'very interested' in joining the club. Jones explained:

"I think Nagelsmann is going to have a big decision to make. I’m told he’s always looked at Tottenham as a solid club that would be a perfect place to build a platform.

"I don't think he would have expected to end up at Bayern Munich as early as he did in his career. Tottenham is that level of a club that's just below the very elite and I think because he can build a project there, he'd still be very interested in joining."

Should Spurs appoint Nagelsmann?

Now readily-available, there appears to be little standing in Tottenham's way when it comes to talks with Nagelsmann, but the elite title-winning coach is also apparently attracting interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea.

If Spurs can beat off the possible competition, we believe he would be a brilliant fit and one who could excite supporters with his forward-thinking style.

BBC writer Raj Chohan raved over Nagelsmann's 'outstanding' methods of coaching an attack last year, potentially highlighting why Spurs are showing a real interest. Levy may be boosted by this news that he would be very interested in joining and it will certainly be an interesting development to follow in the next few months.

Liverpool are interested in completing a deal to bring PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare to the Premier League, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

What's the latest on Sangare's future?

The Reds have James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all out of contract at the end of the season, whilst Arthur Melo is set to return to Juventus after the board decided not to take up his buy option, so central reinforcements will be needed during the upcoming window.

Jurgen Klopp has been linked with several potential candidates, predominantly Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount, but 25-year-old midfielder Sangare is one of the most recent names to crop up.

The Ivory Coast international's contract at the Philips Stadion isn't set to run out until 2027, but as Ruud van Nistelrooy's best-performing defensive player, as per WhoScored, he's been attracting interest.

Speaking to Voetbal International, the manager himself challenged his standout star to "go to the top" in England and make a name for himself at the highest level – which sounds exactly like what he might be about to do.

The Merseyside outfit, along with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, are reportedly known admirers and have already been alerted by Sangare's representatives that he is likely to be available for a transfer at the end of the season, while it appears FSG have positively responded to that information and are now considering a swoop.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are "keen" on a move for Sangare, who has been identified as a player who's seriously "on the radar" of possible targets at Anfield. PSV's maestro was supposedly of interest last summer but a switch failed to materialise, though the club have now been given the perfect second chance, with the Eredivisie giants "open" to letting him go for a fee of around £45m.

Would Sangare fit the bill at Liverpool?

Sangare has been lauded as a "class act" and someone who can control a midfield by journalist Josh Bunting, and with him possessing strong qualities in the defensive and offensive aspects of his game, we think he would be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper for Klopp.

The 6 foot 3 colossus, who would add a different dimension to the centre with his height, naturally sits in front of the back four and loves to get stuck in and stop attacks, as shown by him ranking in the 93rd percentile for blocks and in the 90th for tackles among players in his position at similar-level competitions over the past year, as per FBref.

Whilst more used to operating in this position, he also has the versatility to play slightly higher up the field in central and attacking midfield, which gives him the freedom to contribute in the final third.

Sangare has scored seven goals and provided three assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season, so is able to make a positive difference at both ends of the pitch, meaning that the Reds shouldn't even have to think twice about wrapping up a deal.

Chelsea may have spent millions in the transfer market over the previous few windows, however, this doesn’t always guarantee success.

Having spent close to £200m on Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk during January, the Blues find themselves on their fourth manager of the season and are currently outside the top half of the Premier League table.

It’s not just incoming transfers that the Stamford Bridge outfit have had problems with over the previous few years either, with a succession of managers selling players far too soon.

The likes of Tammy Abraham, Timo Werner and Billy Gilmour were perhaps sold a little too hasty by Thomas Tuchel; however, it was the sale of Fikayo Tomori which has turned into a particular head-scratcher, especially considering his success in Serie A.

What is Fikayo Tomori up to now?

The Englishman emerged through the Chelsea academy before making his first team debut in the 2015/16 campaign and this was followed by a series of loan moves to Championship clubs, with his most productive stint coming at Derby County under Frank Lampard in 2018/19.

The former Blues midfielder took over the club the following summer and Tomori enjoyed moderate success under him, featuring in 22 matches that term, although he would soon fall out of favour.

He secured a surprising loan move to AC Milan in January 2021 and this soon turned permanent for a fee of £25m that summer, as new manager Tuchel clearly didn’t envision the defender in his future plans.

Selling him two years ago was arguably his biggest mistake during his time managing the club, with Tomori going from strength to strength in Italy over the previous two seasons.

He played an integral part in Milan winning the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years last term with GOAL even claiming that the defender was “living the dream” out in Italy.

He has continued his rich vein of form into this season, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.17/10 across 26 league appearances which ranks him as their second-best player in Serie A.

In the squad, Tomori ranks in the top five for tackles, interceptions and clearances made per game while he has also won a staggering 68% of his total duels, clearly proving that he is one of their best defenders.

Tuchel had a major blunder in selling the defender when he did, especially when he failed to even give him a chance in the team and the 25-year-old is currently proving him wrong.

Crystal Palace favourite Wilfried Zaha could join another Premier League club this summer, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Is Zaha leaving Crystal Palace?

The 30-year-old is arguably the Eagles' greatest player of the Premier League era, becoming such a talismanic figure over such a long period. He has now scored 89 goals and registered 76 assists in a total of 455 appearances for the club, so often being the man to inspire Palace to victories down the years.

Zaha is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of this season and there is no sign of him extending his stay in south London as things stand, with a number of contract offers rejected by the Ivorian. A summer exit looks on the cards instead, with a host of teams likely to be interested in snapping him up.

A move to Cristiano Ronaldo's current club Al-Nassr has been mooted, although it now appears as though the winger could remain in this country.

Could winger stay in the Premier League?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones failed to rule out of the idea of Zaha moving to another Premier League club ahead of next season:

"Most of the genuine options that I've heard are from Saudi Arabia, but then there are also opportunities for him, potentially, in France and in Italy.

"Obviously, the opportunity for a big payday here at this stage of his career is something that he's going to consider, but Zaha is still a serious football player and somebody that wants to be competitive.

"So I think that if the right Premier League move did open up, I do think he would consider it."

In an ideal world, Zaha will still have a late change of heart and commit his future to Palace, although in truth, it is hard to begrudge him a move elsewhere if he wants it, considering what great loyalty he has shown to the Eagles.

If the player hailed as "outstanding" by Ally McCoist does move on, the hope is that it is to a non-Premier League side, however, given how he could strengthen them and be a threat when coming up against Palace in a future fixture.

The idea of Zaha suddenly changing his mind and remaining at Selhurst Park certainly isn't out of the question, but at 30, he will know that this summer could be his last chance to get a big move elsewhere.

Chelsea are edging closer to the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager and the Argentine could be the man to finally get the best out of Kai Havertz at Stamford Bridge.

Will Pochettino be Chelsea's new manager?

According to The Telegraph, Pochettino is now in final negotiations to become the Blues' next permanent manager, after both Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann dropped out of the running.

The 51-year-old, who was most recently manager of PSG, is well known to Premier League fans having enjoyed successful spells with both Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, averaging 1.45 and 1.84 points per game with those two clubs.

He cultivated his impressive reputation with PSG, winning the Ligue 1 title in 2021/22, as well as two domestic trophies the season prior to earn his first honours as a manager, having famously struggled to win anything in his time at Spurs.

It isn't clear whether Pochettino will take over now or at the end of the season as initially planned with Frank Lampard continuing as interim manager, although the four defeats from four under the former Everton boss may change Todd Boehly's thinking.

However, with a full pre-season under his belt at Stamford Bridge, the former Espanyol man would be able to properly integrate his ideas and steer Chelsea towards a more successful 2023/24 season, where Havertz could be key to his plans.

Could Pochettino get the best out of Havertz?

This season has been a difficult one for the former Bayer Leverkusen man, despite him leading the way for goals in Chelsea's squad with seven to his name in the Premier League.

However, the Blues' woes in front of goal mean that he is always likely to be a scapegoat for disappointed fans and in fairness, his lack of consistency in the final third has been a problem throughout his spell at Stamford Bridge, with Understat suggesting that he has underperformed on his expected goals in each of his three seasons in west London.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton labelled the £150k-per-week forward "hopeless" after a less-than-impressive display in the 4-0 defeat against Manchester City earlier this year but he has consistently been asked to play as a striker at Chelsea when he had excelled previously as an attacking midfielder in the Bundesliga.

Chelsea need only look towards Spurs' best season under Pochettino, which arguably came in the 2016/17 campaign when a front four of Christian Eriksen, Heung-min Son, Dele Alli and Harry Kane caused huge problems for opposition defences.

Alli, in particular, would thrive under the Argentine in a shadow-striker role, where he was afforded the freedom to get forward in support of Kane, going on to notch 18 goals and seven assists in 37 Premier League appearances with a phenomenal 7.35 average rating from WhoScored.

Havertz has proven himself to be an "exceptional" talent on his day – in the words of Ilkay Gundogan – and the introduction of an arguably world-class manager at Stamford Bridge, along with a potential positional change to see him play in a similar attacking midfield role to the one Alli excelled in at Spurs, could be exactly what Havertz needs to finally live up to his potential with Chelsea.

Manchester United could strike a decisive blow in the battle for Champions League qualification with victory over top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday evening, with the two sides currently separated by six points heading into that meeting in north London.

With United also having the benefit of two games in hand on the Lilywhites, tomorrow's encounter could potentially end the hosts' hopes of securing fourth place, while also strengthening the Red Devils' own ambitions in the process.

While Spurs go into that mouthwatering meeting amid a turbulent few days that has seen them part company with interim boss Cristian Stellini following the 6-1 loss to Newcastle United at the weekend, Erik ten Hag's men, by contrast, will be on something of a high after sealing their place in the FA Cup final on Sunday.

The Dutchman will, however, not be getting too carried away following that shootout triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion, particularly having seen his side capitulate away to Sevilla just a few days earlier.

One man that notably underwhelmed in both of those clashes last week was the returning Christian Eriksen, with the Denmark international having been "schooled" against the La Liga outfit, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Tyrone Marshall.

The 31-year-old – who had been absent in recent months with injury – was again something of a spare part at Wembley having made just 26 touches in his 62-minute outing, providing just a solitary key pass and failing to win a single duel before being replaced.

While the experienced playmaker is set to be keen to take on his former club at N17, it may be time for Ten Hag to shake up his midfield and bring in Fred from the cold.

Will Fred start against Spurs?

The Brazilian machine has been rather on the periphery in recent times after falling down the pecking order behind the likes of Eriksen and Marcel Sabitzer, having failed to start a single league game since the 7-0 defeat to Liverpool last month.

The 30-year-old was also afforded just 22 minutes of action across both legs against Sevilla, having also been forced to start on the bench yet again against the Seagulls last time out.

Despite those recent woes, the tenacious ace – who was signed on a £52m deal back in 2018 – proved his worth after entering the fray on Sunday, having 'energised' the midfield, according to MEN's Samuel Luckhurst.

Those fresh legs could well be vital against Tottenham tomorrow evening, with Fred also offering the benefit of having starred in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford back in October, having produced a "magnificent" performance, according to his manager.

Not only did the polarising asset get on the scoresheet in that commanding, 2-0 win with a deflected effort from range, but he was also a constant, creative threat for his side, having registered three key passes on the day.

As the aforementioned Luckhurst noted following that statement performance, Fred's 'passing pierced Tottenham's midfield and defence', having been a real probing and relentless presence alongside international colleague, Casemiro.

The hope will be that the two compatriots can again work their magic this time around, as Ten Hag's men look to take another step toward securing a place in the Champions League.