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Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is believed to be searching for a manager who is solely focused on becoming the next Spurs boss.

What does Daniel Levy want for the new manager?

The Lilywhites suffered yet another crushing blow in their pursuit for a spot inside the top four on the weekend as they tasted dramatic defeat against Bournemouth.

Cristian Stellini has been offered the opportunity to see out the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign in north London but it seems the Italian is failing to change their fortunes.

Antonio Conte's final game of his tenure saw Spurs collapse against Southampton to concede the points as they were made to settle for a draw.

And the same has been seen in the weeks since his departure Spurs have capitulated against both Everton and now Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, the search for a new manager goes on and the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique believed to be on their radar.

However, it is also believed that those two are managers who are also on the list of their London rivals, Chelsea, who are also looking to see the campaign out with an interim manager.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed Levy is looking for a manager who would consider Spurs his number one choice not just an option to settle for if they do not get another job:

(1:11:00) "From what I understand, after digging around the whole managerial situation this weekend, is that one of the key aspects Spurs are looking for in this search for their next manager, is they want to appoint someone who sees Spurs as their first choice they want to go to not be a fallback option if, you know, another vacancy is filled, I guess."

Who should Spurs appoint?

Once again, large sections of the Spurs crowd made their feelings known in regards to a potential return for one of their former managers.

Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino is a name who has been linked with the vacancy in north London and his name was sung by Spurs fans on Saturday.

Levy was in attendance for the game on the weekend and will have heard the chants for both him to leave the club and for Pochettino to be reinstated in the dugout.

However, reports have since suggested the club do not consider the Argentine as a serious option at the moment with no contact made between the two parties.

What is interesting, though, is if this is the case and Spurs do not want a manager who is considering other jobs then perhaps that rules out the likes of Nagelsmann.

It is believed the German is open to the possibility of joining Chelsea over the coming months which would surely mean he will be crossed off Levy's list.

And if this is the case, then it could seriously deplete their options.

In summary, Spurs would like a manager who will form a great affinity for the club and bring the fans back together in what is very much a fractured relationship at the moment.

It does feel as if this criteria can be found in the form of a certain Argentine who the fans call "magic", however, that would mean Levy would have to swallow his pride and potentially acknowledge Tottenham's mistake in sacking him in 2019.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield this summer and now a reliable source has revealed a new update on a potential transfer target this summer.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Nicolo Barella?

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool have short-listed several midfielders with Inter Milan ace Nicolo Barella named.

Plettenberg tweeted: "News LFC: Still on the shortlist and being discussed with Klopp confirmed: Rice, Caicedo, Barella, Gravenberch and Nunes.

"Klopp 100% involved in the decision not to buy Bellingham. Decision was taken with the owners."

Will Liverpool sign Nicolo Barella?

There is no doubt that the recent reports claiming Liverpool are no longer interested in Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Bellingham will be a huge blow for the Anfield faithful after months of mounting speculation surrounding the player's potential move to Merseyside.

However, when considering the £130m fee attached to the England midfielder and the multiple issues Liverpool have faced this season, it makes sense that the powerbrokers at Anfield are keen to secure the services of multiple players to significantly improve the performances instead of putting all of their eggs in one basket.

Indeed, there are not many young prospects in the world more exciting than Bellingham, however, the signing of Barella could provide Klopp with a midfielder who has a wealth of experience in a similar role and a player he is already a huge fan of.

Ahead of Liverpool's clash with Inter Milan in the Champions League last season, the German coach took to his press conference to lavish praise on a player who could cost £65m:

"He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player."

When comparing Bellingham's output to the 25-year-old Italian this season so far, Barella has outperformed his positional peer in several attributes, most notably goals and assists (11 v 8) and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.12 v 4.07).

Interestingly, the Italian has received more progressive passes (143 v 113), as well as possessing a better take-on success rate (62.7% v 55.1%), proving that he is a complete midfielder who can both win possession and consistently impact the attacking threat.

Simply, Barella can be a huge game-changer from the centre of the pitch, which he proved again last night in Inter's Champions League clash with Benfica, scoring the opening goal to give his team the lead in their two-leg challenge to win a spot in the semi-final of the prestigious European competition.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Barella has the quality to significantly improve the midfield at Anfield, however, it would take something special for Liverpool to snap up his services should they fail to qualify for Champions League football next season.

Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has shared a potential boost for Tottenham Hotspur as they target Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.

What's the latest on De Zerbi to Spurs?

The Italian, who has been a brilliant successor to former Seagulls manager Graham Potter, is rumoured to be a serious contender for the Spurs job after Antonio Conte's departure. Cristian Stellini took charge of his first game as interim boss on Monday night, squandering a one-man and one-goal advantage to eventually draw 1-1 – with Lucas Moura also sent off late on.

It was hardly the dream start for Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason with chairman Daniel Levy reportedly at work on finding Spurs' next permanent manager in the background. The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann and even former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane are believed to be targets.

In-work managers are also on the agenda, with Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner and Feyenoord's Arne Slot being eyed from abroad. Closer to home in the Premier League, reports have suggested that Brentford's Thomas Frank and De Zerbi are attracting Levy's interest.

The latter man is on Tottenham's managerial shortlist with reliable outlets claiming he is a serious option. Now, as per Sky reporter Di Marzio, the north Londoners have may just been handed a boost in their pursuit of De Zerbi.

Speaking in the Sky Sports 24 studios, via FC Inter 1908.it, the 43-year-old is indeed 'on the list' at Spurs, and despite interest from Italy, Di Marzio claims he only wants to stay in England – thereby putting Tottenham ahead of suitors from Serie A.

He explained:

"De Zerbi is also on the list, who is doing very well at Brighton. I say for those who dream of him returning to Italy: apart from having a €13m release clause to release him, I don't think he wants to return to Italy. I think he wants to continue in the Premier League."

Should Tottenham appoint De Zerbi?

The attack-minded boss ticks many boxes for Spurs, not least his proven experience in the English top flight, brilliant work on a limited budget and growing reputation.

Brighton are currently challenging for Europe with only Arsenal, Man City and Spurs scoring more league goals than De Zerbi's side.

Jamie Carragher has also hailed the tactician's 'unbelievable' work and Brighton's free-flowing possession-based footballing philosophy.

If Spurs cannot get their hands on more prestigious candidates like Nagelsmann or Pochettino, De Zerbi stands out as a phenomenal candidate.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has tipped Xabi Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp as manager at Liverpool amid the club's poor season.

What's the latest on Xabi Alonso and Liverpool?

It's safe to say things haven't really gone to plan for the Reds this term. Indeed, they currently sit sixth in the Premier League, seven points from the top four.

What's more, they were recently humiliated by Real Madrid in the Champions League, meaning they are now out of every cup competition.

With that in mind, some questions have been asked about Klopp and his future with the club and there is talk in the media that former Liverpool ace Alonso could be an ideal candidate to come in whenever the German leaves.

While talking about this on his YouTube channel, Talbot seemed to think the Spaniard would be a better fit than Steven Gerrard, who is currently out of work having been sacked by Aston Villa earlier this season.

He explained: "He's good because that's how you do it, he’s cut his teeth. I think he was at Sociedad, wasn’t he? He was like the [youth] manager at Real Madrid and he went to Sociedad, then he went to Bayer Leverkusen – he's done it properly.

"Rather than being like Frank Lampard: like Derby, then Chelsea! And then, you know, Steven Gerrard kind of similar. I know people are like, 'oh his Rangers phase', but apparently the Rangers stuff, that was all Michael Beale – he was like his second in command."

Would Alonso be a better manager for Liverpool than Gerrard?

The 41-year-old did indeed spend time with Real Sociedad and Real Madrid in Spain before arriving in Germany to become the senior Bayer Leverkusen coach.

And he's impressed in his current job, picking up an average of 1.79 points per game so far after 24 matches in charge. In comparison, Gerrard only managed 1.18 after 40 matches with Villa.

Klopp is at an impressive 2.05 per game after 419 matches in charge, which shows just how good he has been with Liverpool and whoever follows him will have a hard time living up to those standards.

And by the sounds of it, the German won't be leaving any time soon anyway. Indeed, he recently told the press: “I have too much responsibility and I want it and I want to sort it again.

“I am 100% committed. If we win I feel like I was part of it but if we lose I feel 100% responsible. I was always like this in my life, so you can imagine how big the responsibility at the moment is and how I feel now and we will do absolutely everything to get through this and prepare the very positive future again.”

Still, his contract is up in 2026, so perhaps Alonso will be considered in the near future if his stock continues to rise.

Liverpool's crop of youth talent is as vibrant as it has ever been, with a steady flow of touted prospects pushing for contention in manager Jurgen Klopp's thinking over the coming seasons.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is the salient example, with 18-year-old midfielder Stefan Bajcetic breaking into the fold this season and shining as his senior peers flounder, while starlet Ben Doak is pushing for further opportunities after dazzling at youth level, scoring ten goals and supplying seven assists this season.

The projected influx of aspiring hopefuls bodes well for the Reds' future sustainability; with the Merseyside outfit currently languishing seven points behind Tottenham Hotspur, Klopp might fail to qualify for Champions League for the first time in any of his six full seasons in English football, and while progress on the pitch is not exactly fruitful, cementing a prolonged future at the forefront of European football would go far more seamlessly with academy graduates melding with the incomings on the transfer front.

One such talent who could very well find themselves at the centre of the club's future plans is talented centre-forward Keyrol Figueroa, with the talented 16-year-old already making an impression with Liverpool's U18s outfit.

Who is Keyrol Figueroa?

The precocious teenager has been making waves at the maiden stage of his career, with Liverpoolfc.com stating: "Blessed with great pace, Keyrol is capable of scoring spectacular goals, and he will feature for the U18s as a first-year scholar in 2022-23."

And despite his tender age, the Honduras-born prodigy has already forged nine appearances for the Reds' U18s, scoring one goal and supplying two assists.

Hailed as a "16-year-old goal scoring monster" by MLS specialist, Maximiliano Bretos, the feats that belie Figueroa's youth and inexperience leave him in good stead to stay ahead of the curve and indeed emulate the burgeoning rise of the likes of Doak, who has been dubbed "the pick of the bunch" by journalist Keifer MacDonald when discussing the Anfield youth ranks.

The "top talent" that is Figueroa – as remarked by Ben Bocsak – will possibly start featuring for Liverpool's U21s before his 18th birthday, which would represent a staggering growth to eclipse the standards demanded by the powers that be on the red half of Merseyside.

Figueroa is some way from prominence among the senior side at Anfield, but with such a 'monstrous' start to life at Kirkby, he could well find himself flourishing as one of the centrepieces to ensure success over the next decade on Merseyside.

Chelsea are expected to be in the running to sign Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane this summer, according to talkSPORT pundit Stan Collymore.

The Lowdown: £100m price tag

The Premier League talisman has now entered the final 18 months of his contract in N17 and being Antonio Conte’s top-performing player, has caught the eye of Graham Potter.

The Mirror have recently reported that the England captain wants out and will be looking for a move elsewhere during the upcoming window, with The Times having since claimed that Daniel Levy would only consider selling him for a £100m up front.

The Latest: Collymore’s comments

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Collymore suggested that Chelsea will be firmly in the race to sign Kane alongside Manchester United. He said:

“The situation at Spurs is giving Harry Kane the perfect excuse to leave in the summer. He’s never had an easier way out. Seriously, who is honestly going to begrudge him a move elsewhere now?

“That man has done just about everything he can for Spurs but now, at the age of 29, soon to be 30, this summer is going to be possibly his last opportunity to move on and go to a club that stands a real chance of winning some major silverware – whether that is Chelsea or Manchester United, who knows, but I guarantee that they’ll both be in the running for Kane come to the summer window.

“If I were Kane, I would do everything in my power to get a move to Manchester United, but that’s me speaking as an older former pro, the fact Chelsea are based in London will probably play a big part as Kane’s family life may mean he doesn’t want to relocate too far away from where he has been for the majority of his playing career.”

The Verdict: Splash the cash?

Kane has been dubbed a ‘world-class’ striker by Conte and should the opportunity to sign him arise, Chelsea should definitely splash the cash to secure his services.

The Nike-sponsored ace has posted 334 goal contributions in 425 senior appearances for Spurs, where he’s currently averaging 3.6 shots per top-flight game.

The Walthamstow-born talent also ranks in the 95th percentile for most progressive passes per 90, which shows how strong his link-up play is even when he might not be on the scoresheet.

Kane has several Golden Boot and Player of the Year awards to his name, highlighting the significantly positive impact he has on a side, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Tottenham Hotspur are likely to see a change in the dugout before the start of next season, with Antonio Conte’s future at the club in serious doubt…

Who could replace Antonio Conte at Spurs?

Spurs responded well to their midweek Champions League exit by defeating Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon but it seems unlikely that the Italian head coach remains at the helm much past the current campaign.

It means chairman Daniel Levy will oversee the search for his 12th manager in 22 years and a worrying name has emerged as a potential candidate, according to Italian media.

Il Messaggero (via Calcio in Pillole) claim that former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is in the sights of the north London outfit, alongside other Premier League teams like West Ham United and Everton, though the latter has since opted for Sean Dyche.

Is Maurizio Sarri in the running?

Levy’s track record with ex-Blues managers is pretty shocking and at the very least, it would put him at risk of further alienating the Lilywhites fanbase, not to mention the fact that the 64-year-old would rank pretty highly on his list of managerial disasters.

It wasn’t too long ago that their chaotic search ended up with the club appointing Nuno Espirito Santo, only for his tenure to last a whopping 17 matches and the prospect of hiring Sarri would do nothing to fix the negativity around N17 right now.

Of course, the Italian has a Europa League title to his name but the Stamford Bridge outfit flopped in the Premier League under his leadership and then again, past success means very little if you’re coming to Tottenham – even Jose Mourinho couldn’t get a tune out of the club.

However, it’s Sarri’s poor man-management and “very stubborn” methods – in the words of former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot – that make his potential appointment a complete disaster.

Known to “clash with the players,” according to Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan, the current Lazio manager would bring another dogmatic, defensive-first system to a club starved of creativity and attacking juices and whilst many will remain loyal to the cause no matter who is in the dugout, fans have become restless in recent months.

Such claims have also been backed up by ex-goalkeeper Rob Green, who heavily criticised Sarri during his time in west London to The Athletic.

“I just spelled it out. I told him, ‘You have no plan B. You’re a transactional kind of manager. The players in the group are not the kind to speak to you like this — they care very much but are scared to say something to you like I am. I don’t care because what are you going to do — drop me!?’” he said.

Mourinho, Conte and possibly Sarri – it could be Levy’s biggest disaster yet, with the 64-year-old likely to be a worse-received candidate than even Nuno, given the evidence above.

AND in other news, Tottenham: £180k-p/w star is “looking older by the week”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Gianluca Scamacca in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, the Italian is one of the strikers PIF are plotting a swoop for as an alternative to Hugo Ekitike.

The club had agreed a £25m deal to sign the Stade Reims forward but that move has now been scuppered by demands from his agents, which has left the Magpies scouring the globe for other targets.

It is claimed that Newcastle are keen on Scamacca, who is reportedly set to be available for a fee in the region of €30m, and that they will need to convince him to make the switch as the ‘feeling’ is that he would prefer to remain in the Serie A.

Eddie Howe’s own Jamie Vardy

The Premier League has been host to some incredible goalscorers over the years; Alan Shearer, Wayne Rooney, Thierry Henry, and Sergio Aguero to name but a few.

One player who has put his name up alongside them, against all odds, is Leicester City legend Jamie Vardy. The former non-league attacker has scored 133 goals in 270 top-flight matches for the Foxes – winning one title along the way – and Newcastle can now land Howe his own version of him by signing Scamacca from Sassuolo.

FBref lists the players as being similar to each other based on their statistics over the past 365 days in Europe’s top five leagues.

In the Premier League last season, Vardy plundered 15 goals and two assists in 20 starts as he, once again, showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.

Scamacca, meanwhile, scored 16 goals and created three ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 25 starts for Sassuolo in Serie A. His former Italy U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio once claimed that he plays “on the edge” and this has seemingly allowed him to thrive in front of goal.

This shows that he has the quality to score goals on a regular basis at the top level, just like Vardy has over the years for Leicester. At the age of 23, he also has the potential to be Newcastle’s main man at the top end of the pitch for the next decade – given that the Englishman is still firing them in at the age of 35.

The Magpies would, therefore, be signing a player to contribute over the course of a number of seasons, rather than signing a short-term solution, which is why he would be a fantastic addition to the team.

AND in other news: Offer made: NUFC in talks to sign “world-class” 110-goal “magician”, Howe needs him

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared what he’s been ‘told’ on live TV as West Ham United continue their mission to sign Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola permanently.

The Lowdown: After Aguerd…

After the Irons sealed their first major signing of the summer, completing a deal for Morocco international Nayef Aguerd, manager David Moyes is believed to be plotting a few more additions.

Indeed, reliable reports claim that the Scotsman and West Ham are aiming to seal ‘at least’ six new additions before the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season.

This summer may well be the most eventful in east London for quite some time, with Sheth now sharing an update live on TV involving Areola.

The Latest: Sheth shares major Areola update…

As per the Sky Sports journalist, West Ham are ‘increasingly confident’ that they can seal a permanent move for the 29-year-old and ‘will’ trigger the £11m purchase option once personal terms are agreed.

In another development, it appears that the Irons have also fended off ‘late interest’ from Newcastle United in the Frenchman.

Sheth explained: “This will be seen as quite a good deal for West Ham as well because we’re told there was late interest in Areola from Newcastle United, they’ve turned their attention since to Nick Pope from Burnley.

“But it now seems Areola will be, provided they sort out all these personal terms, will be at the London Stadium for next season and beyond.”

The Verdict: Big boost…

The Magpies’ move for Pope is undoubtedly a boost for Moyes and the Hammers, with nothing standing in the way of them sealing their second piece of summer business after Aguerd.

Areola joining indefinitely would be a very shrewd move for West Ham considering his phenomenal cup outings last season and experience on the Champions League stage, and we believe he is a ready-made alternative to Lukasz Fabianski at the London Stadium.

Leeds United are lining up a move for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, according to Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Phillips to Man City rumours

Manchester City have been heavily linked with a move for Kalvin Phillips and have reportedly firmed up their interest with an offer this week.

The Premier League champions view the boyhood Leeds fan as a replacement for Fernandinho and to provide competition to Rodri at the Etihad Stadium. Ian Abrahams believes that a move is edging closer, and it looks as if the Whites are now preparing for life without their star midfielder.

The Latest: Berge interest from Leeds

Writing in a column for GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Berge is emerging as a Leeds target to replace Phillips.

The transfer insider stated that Victor Orta will have a good chance to sign the 24-year-old, should a pursuit receive the green light, with Sheffield United valuing Berge at £25m.

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The Verdict: Too expensive?

A valuation of £25m appears to be quite expensive when you take into consideration that Berge’s Transfermarkt valuation has never hit £20m.

The Norwegian has been labelled a ‘complete midfielder’ by former Blades boss Chris Wilder but he missed large parts of last season with a hamstring injury and played mainly as a box-to-box midfielder.

Berge does have 18 months experience of playing in the Premier League and is primarily a holding midfielder.

However, Orta may well get more value for money outside of England, having looked to do so already this summer with moves for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and prospective new arrival Marc Roca.

In other news: Leeds now want to sign £20m ‘game-changer’; Orta’s already made contact