Harry Kane may struggle to resist the temptation to leave Tottenham in search of major honours at the end of the season, believes former Spurs striker Frederic Kanoute.

While Kane has hit 25 Premier League goals during another fine individual campaign, his quest to win a first major trophy never looked likely to end during a frustrating season for Spurs.

Tottenham sit nine points adrift of the top four after Sunday's dramatic 4-3 defeat at Liverpool, and chairman Daniel Levy has already sacked two head coaches in the form of Antonio Conte and his interim replacement Cristian Stellini.

With Kane about to enter the final 12 months of his contract, reports have suggested he could be targeted by Manchester United in the upcoming transfer window, while Paris Saint-Germain are also said to hold an interest in the 29-year-old.

Kane wanted to leave Tottenham for Manchester City in 2021, and Kanoute believes the England captain could be enticed by the prospect of an exit this time around.

Speaking to Stats Perform at LaLiga x Bloomsbury Football League event, Kanoute said: "I can't speak on his behalf but, obviously, the fans would be really, really disappointed if he leaves the club because he's been fantastic.

"At the same time, I think they understand as well that it could be a good opportunity, a huge opportunity for him to win trophies.

"I think he will be a little bit conflicted in the next choice he is going to have to make."

Tottenham are yet to name Conte's permanent successor, with Ryan Mason taking the reins as acting head coach following Stellini's exit.

With the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Xabi Alonso and Vincent Kompany linked with the role, Kanoute has urged Spurs to look to the future with their next appointment.

"I wish all the best for Mason and I hope he's going to do a great job, but we all think it's going to be temporary," he said.

"Obviously the next appointment is going to be super important as I think it should be a long-term appointment, but as we know nowadays in football, there's not much patience. 

"I just hope the new coach will start with a few wins that will bring some positive momentum for the club.

"It's obvious that they're missing silverware and that's all the Tottenham fans are hoping that Tottenham can finally win a trophy, but I think there's a kind of unsettlement in the team. 

"If you want a trophy, you have to build it up, to have a certain stability with the coach, with the philosophy of what kind of football you want to deliver to the fans.

"I think they're still to reach that stability, so they can finally thrive in their football."

Erik ten Hag is in the dark over Manchester United’s summer spending power as the takeover saga rumbles on.

The Old Trafford giants announced in November that the board was exploring strategic alternatives to enhance the club’s growth, with a full sale one option being considered.

Friday was the third, and what is expected to be final, deadline for parties to make offers to buy the club, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitting bids.

Now the the Glazer family must decide how they want to proceed – a process that threatens to damage the progress made during Ten Hag’s first season in charge.

United are on course for a top-four finish and have the chance to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup, but the financial backing for improvements is unclear even to the manager.

Asked if he has been told he has the funds to do what he wants to this summer irrespective of how the takeover process pans out, Ten Hag said: “No, I don’t have. I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have… also I don’t know.

“The only thing what I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs and I think it’s among maybe (the) two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective.

“So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League.

“But in football you need funds to construct squads because in the end of the day the level from your players makes if you are successful or not.”

Ten Hag says “everyone knows you need funds to construct a squad” and that “high level players cost a lot of money” in elite football.

“I, we see this as a project,” the United boss said. “In a project also it belongs that you are in windows, that you strengthen your squad needs or to make refreshments, so that you get more balance, definitely, and you bring young players in.

“But I think we already have shown and proved that we can beat the best teams in the world, so, yeah, I think we can compete in the Champions League.

“But at the end of the day we want to be in the winter also in the Champions League and we want to compete, and knock them all out, so then we have a way to go.”

United are preparing to take on Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday after beating Aston Villa 1-0 to a backdrop of protests against the Glazers on Sunday.

Ten Hag was seen after the match at Old Trafford picking up a green and gold scarf as he headed down the tunnel game, holding it up before throwing it back to fans.

When asked if it was an act of solidarity with the fans, the United boss said: “No, it was just polite.

“But I know what’s going around, what the symbol of it is, but this matter was just polite.”

Ten Hag, understandably, refrained from publicly criticising his employers at this stage of the season but his desire for clarity on the club’s future is palpable.

Asked how important it is to get the takeover process resolved as soon as possible, Ten Hag said: “Yeah, I think it’s clear what I want but it’s not up to me.

“It’s about others in this club, finally there are the owners and they make the decisions, so it’s not up to me.

“So, I do everything I can and I influence the processes I’m in charge of.”

Real Madrid are closing in on the signing of England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, according to reports.

The 19-year-old has been a target for a number of top European clubs but it appears Real are now winning the race to land the former Birmingham man.

Bellingham has scored 21 goals in 130 appearances for Dortmund and has been a major part of the team challenging for the Bundesliga title this season.

He has also been linked with Manchester City, while a potential move to Liverpool seemed to be curtailed by the finances involved in a deal for the highly-rated teenager.

“We don’t speak about players we sign or do not sign, so we don’t now speak about this kind of speculation. There is nothing to say about it,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said when asked about Bellingham last month.

“It is not about Jude Bellingham, my answer now, but I never understood why we talk about things we theoretically cannot have. We cannot have six players in a summer, everyone for £100million. Everyone would say that is clear.

“You have to realise what you can do and then work with it. That is your job. We are not children. When you ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas and they tell you, I don’t know, a
Ferrari, you wouldn’t say that’s a good idea, you would say that is too expensive and anyway you cannot drive it.

“If this kid then was really unhappy because he didn’t get a Ferrari, it would be a really sad life.”

Bellingham joined Dortmund from Birmingham in 2020 and has established himself as a key player for England during his time in the Bundesliga.

Reports claim personal terms are all-but agreed between Bellingham and Real, with negotiations with Dortmund said to be progressing.

What the papers say

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha is reportedly set to leave his childhood club with four teams looking to sign the 30-year-old, according to the Telegraph. Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal and Juventus are all vying for his signature.

The Sun says Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie is set to extend his stay at the club after promotion back to the Premier League. The 26-year-old striker has scored 12 goals in 36 matches for the Blades this season.

Brighton, Aston Villa, West Ham and Chelsea have all expressed interest in 16-year-old Makise Evans with the striker impressing for Stevenage’s Under-18 side, the Sun reports.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Sadio Mane: The former Liverpool forward could be coming back to the Premier League as Chelsea look to sign the 31-year-old from Bayern Munich, Football London said.

Achraf Hakimi: Manchester United are interested in signing the Paris St Germain and Morocco full-back, Footballer Insider said.

Harry Kane's future continues to be a hot topic of debate, with a number of heavyweight clubs lining up to sign the prolific striker should he indicate he wants to leave Tottenham.

Following strong links with the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, the England international is also now reportedly on Chelsea's list of targets.

The Blues have struggled for goals this term, despite a huge outlay on attacking talent over the past two transfer windows, and need to address that issue ahead of next season.

With Kane's contract due to expire at the end of next season, Tottenham's hand may be forced somewhat should a huge bid come in when the window reopens for business.


TOP STORY – POCHETTINO HOPING TO REUNITE WITH KANE

Not only are Chelsea on the lookout for new recruits – while also offloading plenty of deadwood from their squad – they are searching for a new permanent head coach.

Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be the frontrunner to take over, and the Daily Mail suggests the former Tottenham coach is hoping to work with Kane again at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs would be reluctant to sell to a fellow Premier League side, especially fierce rivals Chelsea, but it is claimed Kane would jump at the chance to reunite with Pochettino.


ROUND-UP

Brighton and Hove Albion have a club-record £30million deal in place with Watford to sign forward Joao Pedro, while Liverpool midfielder James Milner is another target, according to The Athletic. 

– Marca suggests Real Madrid are ready to hold talks with the representatives of in-demand Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham over the next week. Liverpool recently pulled out of the race for the England international.

Juventus could turn to Marseille coach Igor Tudor should they choose to sack Massimiliano Allegri, Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport claims. Tudor previously spent time at Juve as both a player and assistant coach.

– L'Equipe reports striker Jonathan David is likely to leave Lille at the end of the season and could be on his way to the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are said to be interested.

Harry Kane heard Manchester United fans chanting his name but insists his full attention is on securing a lofty Premier League finish for Tottenham.

Striker Kane was captain in the absence of injured goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as Tottenham fought back from 2-0 down for a 2-2 draw with United on Thursday.

The result came in the wake of senior Spurs players meeting on Monday with chairman Daniel Levy to discuss the team's faltering campaign, which came to a head with Sunday's 6-1 pasting at Newcastle United.

Not long after that meeting, interim head coach Cristian Stellini was ousted from his role and the popular Ryan Mason was given a chance to lead the team.

When Spurs put in a rocky first-half display against United, going behind to goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford, the picture for the north London hosts looked increasingly gloomy.

It would have hurt Tottenham supporters to hear United fans chanting "Harry Kane, we'll see you in June", amid recent transfer speculation, but the man himself shrugged that off.

"I heard what they were saying, but I'm just focused on this team and trying to finish strongly," Kane said.

The 29-year-old England skipper has a year remaining on his Tottenham contract, and the coming close season may be the club's best chance to earn a handsome transfer fee if their record scorer decides the exit door really does beckon.

 

Levy will have Kane's future high on his list of priorities, but for the moment the priority of everyone from the chairman down is on finishing the season strongly.

The Newcastle result pointed to Spurs being in disarray, but Mason's players showed a greater spark against Erik ten Hag's United, and Kane felt the discussions with Levy have proven worthwhile.

"I think it was important [for Levy] to understand where the players' heads were at in that moment," Kane said. "It was an honest conversation of where everyone is at and what we need to try to do to give us the best possible chance to finish the season with something.

"We're still fighting for fourth place, but if it's not fourth, we'll try to finish fifth or sixth – as high up as we can. In this league, it's so competitive, you can easily end up eighth or ninth if you're not careful."

Kane said he was "glad we reacted like that" against United, ahead of a trip to face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Spurs sit fifth in the Premier League, but their grip on that position is tenuous. In-form Aston Villa are on the same points mark in sixth place, while Liverpool are a point back with a game in hand and Brighton and Hove Albion sit five points behind but have three games in hand.

Chelsea are reportedly investigating a potential transfer for Sadio Mane after the forward's highly publicised bust-up with Bayern Munich team-mate Leroy Sane.

Mane, 31, won the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool before joining Bayern in a £27million (€32m) transfer in June.

His first season in Germany has resulted in 10 goals and five assists in his 30 combined appearances in the Bundesliga and Champions League, making 22 starts.

While he has been far from a disappointment, his future at the club is now up in the air after a widely reported incident where he punched his team-mate after a 3-0 Champions League defeat against Manchester City.

 

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO OFFER MANE A RETURN TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

According to Football Insider, Sadio Mane "is now believed to be on the radar of Chelsea", and the Stamford Bridge club are now "ready to consider a shock move".

The report states Bayern will only be looking to recoup the majority of the fee they paid for the Senegalese star, and would provide a far cheaper alternative to Napoli's 24-year-old sensation Victor Osimhen.

It also adds that Mane's former club Liverpool have no interest in bringing him back to Anfield.

 

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– The Telegraph is reporting that West Ham's 24-year-old midfielder Declan Rice is Arsenal's top priority in the next transfer window.

Aston Villa are planning a bid for 27-year-old Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who also has interest from Manchester United, per Football Insider.

– According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Milan would like to secure 30-year-old Atletico Madrid striker Alvaro Morata as a replacement for injury-prone veteran Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

– Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel wants to reunite with 28-year-old midfielder Mateo Kovacic at Bayern Munich, per Sport1.

Barcelona's determination to bring Lionel Messi back to Camp Nou is going to be a major storyline during the next transfer window.

But their pursuit of the 2022 World Cup winner is complicated given the Blaugrana's financial situation.

As a result, Barca's squad are on notice, with expectations that key players may need to be offloaded.

 

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE TRIO TO SWOOP FOR RAPHINHA

Raphinha is set to be sold by Barcelona in the off-season with three Premier League clubs circling for his signature, according to reports.

The Blaugrana will need to let Raphinha go to free up space for Messi to return given the club's financial issues, claims Fichajes. Messi is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season.

Raphinha joined from Leeds United last year and his stay could be short. AS claims Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United are all interested in the 26-year-old.

 

ROUND-UP

– Milan forward Rafael Leao has declined offers from both Real Madrid and Chelsea, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport.

– Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic is drawing interest from Manchester United , according to Croatian outlet Jutarnji, with the Red Devils uncertain on David de Gea 's future.

Chelsea are tracking Brentford pair David Raya and Ivan Toney, reports Football London.

– Football 365 claims Aston Villa are circling for Emile Smith Rowe,  who is "disappointed" with his lack of game time at Arsenal.

– Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu's planned move to Atletico Madrid is signed and sealed, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Turkish defender's contract will run until 2027.

– Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg claims Yann Sommer could leave Bayern Munich in the off-season, with new head coach Thomas Tuchel set to restore Manuel Neuer to the side when he returns to full fitness.

Newcastle United are reportedly planning a £150million injection of talent in the upcoming transfer window, with Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney and Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby high on their list.

Tierney, 25, is a Scotland international with 37 senior caps to his name, but despite making 22 Premier League appearances this season, he has only been handed five starts.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is keen to shift Dan Burn back into a central defensive spot where he is most comfortable, and views Tierney as capable of assuming a more integral role than he currently possesses at Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen's 23-year-old winger Diaby is the priority in the front third, having contributed 14 goals and 10 assists during his 41 matches in all competitions.

 

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE PLAN OFFSEASON SPENDING SPREE

According to The Sun, Howe has been told he will have £150m to spend, and he believes £30m is a fair price for Tierney as his potential new starting left-back.

Diaby has a number of fans, including Newcastle's Premier League competitors Arsenal, and is expected to cost in the neighbourhood of £62m (€70m).

Newcastle are also reported to have interest in Diaby's Leverkusen team-mate Mitchel Bakker, a 23-year-old left-back who could be an alternative to Tierney.

 

ROUND-UP

Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester United are all planning bids for 27-year-old Fulham defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha, per Football Insider.

– The Daily Star is reporting Liverpool and 27-year-old Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips have mutual interest in a transfer, and he is believed to be available for £35m.

– According to The Telegraph, 29-year-old Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku will be given the opportunity to revive his career at Stamford Bridge under expected new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

– Sport is reporting Barcelona are hoping to land 30-year-old Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha on a free transfer, while his current club have offered a new £200,000 per week contract in an effort to make him stay.

Bayern Munich are not the only club in the hunt for Randal Kolo Muani, according to Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche.

Reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern are making urgent moves to find a prolific striker to join them at the end of the season, having not adequately replaced Robert Lewandowski when he left for Barcelona ahead of this campaign.

France international Kolo Muani has been linked with a transfer following a strong first season in Germany's top flight with Frankfurt.

Uli Hoeness, the influential former Bayern president, is reportedly keen on seeing 24-year-old Kolo Muani come in to strengthen Thomas Tuchel's attacking options.

However, Krosche told German broadcaster Sky Sport: "So far there have been no specific enquiries, neither from Bayern nor from others."

Krosche is nevertheless alive to interest in the former Nantes player, who has managed 13 goals and 10 assists in 28 Bundesliga games for mid-table Frankfurt, converting 20.31 per cent of his chances.

"Bayern Munich are not the only club occupied with him," Krosche said. "On the other hand, Randal still feels very comfortable with us, and he also has a lot of development areas that he can work on very well with us."

 

Manchester United are reportedly keeping a close eye on Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar as a possible transfer target following the expected change of ownership in coming months.

Neymar, 31, is one of the biggest names in the sport, boasting over 100 goals for both former club Barcelona and with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as 77 goals in 124 international caps for Brazil – tying Pele for the country's international goals record.

While his resume as an all-time great is secured, Neymar is battling injuries yet again this season, with a serious ankle injury in February marking a premature end to his campaign.

After becoming the most expensive transfer in world football history back in 2017, Neymar holds all the cards for when, and if he will leave Paris, but he has fans in England if he decides to chase a new challenge.

 

TOP STORY – UNITED VIEW NEYMAR AS POTENTIAL MARQUEE SIGNING FOR NEW REGIME

According to Foot Mercato, United have been keeping an eye on Neymar's situation "for several months", having enquired about him around the January window, but they will not be able to progress in any negotiations until a sale of the club is finalised.

The report states that the belief is multiple significant stars would be brought in to Old Trafford in the event of a sale, and that Neymar would be near the top of that list.

Meanwhile, The Mirror adds Chelsea also have interest in the Brazilian talent, but ultimately the final decision will be made by Neymar, with his contract including a player option to extend through 2026.

 

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting Crystal Palace are prepared to offer 30-year-old winger Wilfried Zaha a new contract worth £200,000 to fend off interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

– According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Premier League sides Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal are all fans of 20-year-old Brentford left-back Aaron Hickey.

Eintracht Frankfurt's top priority in the upcoming transfer window is 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain centre-back El Chadaille Bitshiabu, who is valued at €15million, per Foot Mercato.

– Football Insider is reporting 26-year-old forward Allan Saint-Maximin could leave Newcastle United after the season if he does not receive assurances about his playing time, and Milan are said to be keen to snap him up.

Mateo Kovacic feels "at home" at Chelsea amid suggestions the Croatian could be targeted by Manchester City and Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

Kovacic is approaching the final 12 months of his contract with Chelsea, and his failure to put pen to paper on a new deal has led to suggestions he could seek an exit.

City could be in the market for midfield reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window, with club captain Ilkay Gundogan rumoured to be weighing up a contract offer from Barcelona. 

Kovacic has also been linked with a reunion with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who has endured a troubled start to life at Bayern since replacing Julian Nagelsmann last month.

The 28-year-old has been a regular under three different coaches during a season of upheaval at Stamford Bridge, and he remains content in west London.

Speaking to the club's media channels, Kovacic said: "I have been here five years already, time flies, and I have been at Chelsea the longest of all my clubs.

"I feel really, really at home. There is nothing to not love in London. My family enjoys it, which makes it easier for me. The food is okay, maybe not like Italy or Spain! But London is amazing.

"I can only say good things about London and England. We feel really great here."

Kovacic has started three of Chelsea's four games since Frank Lampard returned to the club as caretaker manager earlier this month, including both legs of a 4-0 aggregate defeat against his former club Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman has urged Xavi Simons to stay at PSV for another season amid strong suggestions he could be on his way back to Paris Saint-Germain.

Simons swapped PSG for PSV last August after being restricted to just 11 first-team appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, whom he joined from Barcelona two years earlier.

The 20-year-old has started all 30 Eredivisie games for second-placed PSV this season, but he recently hinted he would be open to a return to PSG in the future.

Barca have also been tipped to move for their former youth player, yet Koeman believes the young attacking midfielder is better off staying in the Netherlands for the time being.

"I think it would be very good for him to stay one more year at PSV," Koeman told Studio Voetbal.

Opening up on talks he held with Simons earlier this week, Koeman added: "I can't reveal what we talked about, but these next steps are extremely important.

"I consider Xavi to be someone who weighs up his choices very carefully."

Simons is the joint-top scorer in the Dutch top flight this season with 15 goals, level with Heerenveen forward Sydney van Hooijdonk, while also assisting a further eight goals.

The three-cap Netherlands international can play right across the frontline, and national team boss Koeman believes he can become even more of a creative force in the future.

"I see him on the left for us, and I think he can grow into the number 10 position," Koeman said. "He's very talented and already very important at PSV."

Chelsea's disappointing season has created speculation about several of their key players' futures.

The Blues are mid-table in the Premier League and will miss out on Champions League qualification next term.

It has been a tumultuous season, with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter both axed under their new ownership led by Todd Boehly.

TOP STORY – REAL MADRID OPEN HAVERTZ TALKS

Real Madrid have commenced negotiations with Chelsea about a possible off-season move for Kai Havertz, reports 90min.

Los Blancos view the 23-year-old German forward as a potential successor for veteran striker Karim Benzema.

Madrid are eager to reinforce their offensive options in the next transfer window. Bayern Munich are known to be admirers of Havertz too.

 

ROUND-UP

– Gazzetta dello Sport claims Juventus are planning a move to bring Chelsea's Kalidou Koulibaly back to Italy as he is unhappy at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool's interest in RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol has cooled given the German club's £80m valuation which they believe is too high, according to Football Insider.

– The Mirror reports Paris Saint-Germain are considering selling Neymar in the off-season with his contract up in 2025. Chelsea and one other Premier League club are interested.

Real Madrid are preparing a new contract offer for Eduardo Camavinga amid links with Premier League clubs, reports Fabrizio Romano. The Frenchman wants to remain with Madrid.

– The Sun claims Manchester City are plotting a move for Brentford full back Aaron Hickey who is expected to cost around £30m.

– There is no truth to speculation linking Barcelona with a move for Chelsea's Reece James, according to Fabrizio Romano. James signed a long-term deal last year.

Veteran centre-back Pepe has agreed to prolong his playing career at Porto, signing a new contract with the Portuguese giants at the age of 40.

Pepe is approaching the end of his 23rd season in senior football, the past five of those spent with Porto in what represents his second spell at the Estadio do Dragao.

The 133-cap Portugal defender has no plans to retire just yet, having put pen to paper on a 12-month extension with Porto to stay at the club until the end of next season.

"I'm very nervous because it's a contract that means a lot to me," Pepe, who has played 28 times this season, told Porto's official website. 

"As a player and person, I usually say I'm very honest. I'm 40 years old but I owe a lot to Porto and I don't want to defraud the president or the people at the club.

"I want to thank everyone at the club for making me better every day as a player, a person and a father."

Pepe has won 12 trophies across his two stints with Porto, including four Primeira Liga titles.

He also won the Champions League and LaLiga three times each during a 10-year spell with Real Madrid, as well as winning Euro 2016 and the 2018-19 Nations League with Portugal.

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