The transfer rumour mill will be in full swing in a matter of months when clubs up and down the country will be free to buy new players.

Tottenham Hotspur may have plenty to sort out due to the ongoing uncertainty over the futures of Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele.

With regards to incomings, The Independent reports that manager Mauricio Pochettino will be handed £120m to spend on new players this summer.

According to TeamTalk a report in Portuguese publication A Bola has claimed that Spurs have moved ahead of Liverpool in the race for Benfica winger Andrija Zivkovic.

The report states that the North London club are prepared to meet the £52m asking price for the 21-year-old, who was watched closely by scouts from Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United during last weekend’s match against Porto.

This season, the attacking midfielder has started 13 league matches, as well as three in the Champions League.

Zivkovic, who can play in all positions across the midfield as well as in an advanced role on the right side of attack, has contributed with three goals and four assists in all competitions.

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Tottenham fans have had their say on the latest transfer rumour.

Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.Comment from discussion Tottenham move ahead of Liverpool for £52m Serbian winger Andrija Zivkovic.

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Manchester United are considering a loan deal for Victor Lindelof in the summer transfer window after a difficult debut season in English football, as per the Sun. 

However tempted Jose Mourinho might be to send him to develop away from Old Trafford, he should keep him around the club as that would be beneficial for both the club and player.

What’s the story, then?

The report states that Mourinho is a big fan of the man who is valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt but has doubts about his ability to contribute in the short term after a shaky debut season.

It goes on to say that there would be no shortage of suitors at home and abroad for the Swedish international, who looks to be behind Chris Smalling and Phil Jones in the Old Trafford pecking order at present.

The fact it is reportedly a loan deal Mourinho is interested in and not a sale may encourage Lindelof that he has a future at Old Trafford, but he will likely want to contribute more next season.

Mourinho should keep him at the club

One reason why United move the ball so slowly is their defenders’ lack of competence on the ball and Lindelof is probably their best option at centre-half in that regard.

He is a man Mourinho clearly has immense faith in and you can’t say that about Jones, Smalling or even Marcos Rojo; surely the Portuguese’s plan is for a long-term pairing of Lindelof and Eric Bailly, his two defensive recruits from his Old Trafford reign.

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A major factor in Lindelof’s development is getting used to the more hostile and high-tempo environment of English football and the best place for him to learn is at United. Mourinho needs to keep him around.

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It’s hardly a surprise to see Manchester United presently being linked with the crème de la crème of European talent, from its most coveted starlets to the household names of Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann.

With the 2017/18 season all but done, of course a club with such a vast fanbase is being paired up with an array of exciting names because for the media and transfer rumour industry it boils down to simple math in that A + B = C. The ‘C’ stands for ‘clicks by the gazillion’.

Just don’t believe that any of it will happen, not in the real world, because it won’t.

Lazio’s Sergei Milinkovic-Savic is not heading to Old Trafford this summer even for a fee way over his estimation. Gareth Bale meanwhile will do everything in his power to remain in Madrid but if the expected overhaul at the Bernabeu has him firmly placed in the out-tray he will explore every other alternative before committing to joining the 13-times Premier League champions.

Why? Because the institution that used to be any player’s dream destination is now on a downward trajectory and in charge is a busted flush.

We can stereotype footballers all we like for their avarice but when it comes to committing three or four years of a short career to a new employer money – in most instances, not all – becomes a secondary concern. Whether you are already an elite talent or en route to becoming one frankly it makes little difference if you join United, Real Madrid or even a club residing a tier below in terms of global status because if your agent is happy with his slice and your wages exceed a ballpark expectation then £190,000 a week compared to £175,000 a week is, to an extent, neither here nor there.

What matters more, in that rarefied stratosphere of top clubs competing to pay an individual the biggest fortune is which of those clubs additionally offers the best chance of winning trophies. Is it remotely plausible that United can secure a Premier League title next term, with their neighbours set to dominate English football for the foreseeable future and Liverpool putting together an exhilarating package to challenge that domination?

Is a Champions League medal a realistic proposition should you put pen to paper at Carrington and claim that you owned a United top as a child? Or is it more likely that you would have to settle for an FA Cup every two or three years? The latter is hardly an insignificant reward, for sure, but in comparison to what is possible elsewhere it swiftly pales to a consolation prize.

The world’s most sought-after players don’t settle for consolation prizes.

Next up the managers are assessed. If you’re the next Paul Pogba it would naturally greatly concern you what Jose Mourinho has done with thr real Paul Pogba. That could be you: a king without a kingdom. Similarly if you’re a free-spirited attacking dervish it would be remiss if you didn’t factor in what Mourinho has reduced Anthony Martial to and then compare that to Leroy Sane’s explosion of potential down the road under Pep Guardiola. If you’re a highly regarded full-back meanwhile it doesn’t require a huge flight of fancy to put yourself in Luke Shaw’s boots and recoil at the mere hypothesis.

The latter example can be extended to almost any player that United are eying up this summer. Mourinho’s habit of throwing his boys under metaphorical buses to avoid personal criticism or blame is unsavoury on its own terms but can equally be considered immensely damaging to his club’s transfer aspirations in the forthcoming window.

With some of the world’s most thrilling guiding lights available would you choose to work for a boss who is poisoned to the marrow? Who only looks after number one? Who traditionally implodes in his third season in situ? Elsewhere a number of other coaches genuinely excite.

Lastly we come to the playing style of a perspective buyer. Should you stay at that club for three seasons that is upwards of 150 games barring injury. Why would purposely choose to commit yourself to 13,500 minutes of being shackled to a stolid, negating mandate? Why would you opt for becoming a pawn in a never-ending chess game rather than being better taught in how best to express yourself?

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The reluctance of football’s leading talents to join United is already very evident and conversely the most prominent example ended up there. It was never part of Alexis Sanchez’s masterplan to actually sign for the red half of Manchester. His intention – his dream – was to reunite with Guardiola and United was simply dragged into proceedings as a bargaining tool.

It was a scheme that spectacularly backfired when City refused to play along and pulled out of the race and desperate to leave the Emirates the Chilean had no other option but to sacrifice professional happiness for a burgeoned bank balance. In doing so he became a mercenary.

In the post-Ferguson flailing of a once mighty club United have had to resort on several occasions to over-spending in order to attract the highest standard of players. This summer it’s entirely conceivable that this recent dream destination for the world’s elite will reach phase two of their prolonged downgrading. A phase where not even the lure of lucre will suffice.

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It seems that the wait to discover who Arsenal’s new manager will be is almost over after Unai Emery basically confirmed it himself on his official website.

However, the Spaniard had clearly jumped the gun as the page now displays an ‘error’ message when clicked on.

Emery spent the last two years at Paris Saint-Germain, but was sacked earlier this month due to the club’s failings in the Champions League.

In his relatively short spell at Parc des Princes, the 46-year-old guided the team to five trophies, including the Ligue 1 title.

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Prior to that, Emery was in charge of Sevilla for three years, in which he helped the team win the Europa League crown each season.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal have informed Emery that he can bring in four members of his own backroom team.

The publication states that Juan Carlos Carcedo is expected to join him as assistant manager, while a goalkeeping coach will also be added to the staff.

Arsenal fans, in particular, are excited about the idea of a new goalkeeping coach as many have been disappointed in Petr Cech’s performances between the sticks this season.

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Some, though, are not too thrilled about the new addition due to the form of PSG goalkeepers Kevin Trapp and Alphonse Areola.

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You wanted attacking football? Well, you’re going to get attacking football.

West Ham’s defence – which conceded ten goals in its first three Premier League games this season – will hardly be helped by the arrival of all-out-attack’s Manuel Pellegrini, but that’s far from the point: at this stage, Hammers fans really just want to *feel* something. They’ll certainly feel it with the former Manchester City manager who loves a risk in attack. With a bit of luck, the whole Premier League will, too.

There are some within the game whose eyebrows will rise at the prospect of that. A team who have been in a relegation battle for much of the year should be sorting out its defence before worrying about the attack, you can imagine them arguing. In many cases they’d be right, but at the London Stadium a bit of joy might go a long way.

Pellegrini’s teams provide that.

He’s not like a Kevin Keegan figure, a coach famed for attacking at the expense of his defence. But what he does have is a very clear idea about how football ought to be played – with the ball at your feet and bounding flat-out towards the other team’s goal.

That sort of attacking mindset will – hopefully – lead to a happier atmosphere around the London Stadium. The creation of a team with a positive, attacking identity may go some way to healing some of the wounds opened up by the move to the new ground.

The bigger question might be whether or not West Ham are simply attempting to attract a big name in order to paper over the cracks. That might be a more accurate charge and we’ve seen that it doesn’t always work: we’re living in an era of super clubs, and that’s brought with it a collection of super managers. Pellegrini – whose recent jobs include Manchester City and Real Madrid – is one of those men. But the Hammers aren’t currently one of those clubs.

The key, then, is what success looks like for the Chilean.

Given the top six dominance over the league, a spot in the Champions League looks well out of reach. Indeed at least two members of the top six will miss out. And that probably leaves seventh place as the glass ceiling. That is likely to bring with it a Europa League qualifying spot, though only if the domestic cup competitions are won by top six clubs, too. West Ham don’t have the best memories of those qualifying rounds.

Pellegrini, however, has a track record at managing at that level.

His biggest success is arguably with the Villarreal side of the mid-2000s. Taking over at a small club from well outside the footballing hotbeds of Spain, he brought them to a Champions League semi-final where they lost to Arsenal in 2006 and turned them into one of the most recognisable names in European football.

More recently, at Malaga, he negotiated some choppy waters with an erratic board and a dysfunctional squad to create a side who came within seconds of making a Champions League semi-final.

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There’s no doubt that this is an exciting appointment for West Ham, and indeed for football lovers throughout the league. The question marks will be around his suitability for the role of a club who, just a few weeks ago, looked like they could easily have been relegated if they lost at home to Southampton.

This might be an appointment to stimulate a fanbase starved of entertainment since they first arrived at the London Stadium, but if the Hammers board have taken a risk appointing Pellegrini, his attacking style and his track record with ambitious, overachieving clubs make him the safest choice they could possibly have made.

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New Arsenal manager Unai Emery has inherited a squad of attacking quality but one that also has a soft centre and an inability to win often enough away from home in the Premier League.

The Gunners’ timidity has become arguably the most frustrating aspect of a team that has become unable to fight for the title in the way the fans crave and one of the former PSG boss’ most urgent priorities is sorting out their leaky defence.

Being tighter at the back is a must for Arsenal if they are to break back into the top four and get the fans back on side after seasons of mutiny under Arsene Wenger, but how does Emery go about it?

We’ve taken a closer look at some of the potential methods; from the transfer market to the training pitch through on-field and off-field strategies before asking you to choose the one that holds the ultimate key…

Solution 1 – Upgrade on Petr Cech

It looked as if Wenger had finally snared an elite goalkeeper who could radiate confidence throughout his team when he signed Cech from Chelsea but it is clear to see that his best days are behind him now.

That nervousness can permeate through a team and when the defence is already leaky and resilience is at a premium, that is a real problem. As experienced as Cech is, it could well be time for Emery to look at getting a younger, commanding alternative this summer.

Liverpool are another example of how a dodgy goalkeeper can bring nervousness to a defence while David de Gea’s consistent excellence is the main factor behind Manchester United’s strong defensive record.

An elite goalkeeper can make all the difference.

Solution 2 – Switch to 4-2-3-1 and properly protect the defence

Just like having a top goalkeeper, offering proper protection to a back four can bring about a marked improvement in defensive performance.

Emery’s preferred setup is 4-2-3-1 and while Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny are not the most gifted players in the Arsenal squad, fielding both of them as a defensive screen would help make the side more secure.

That would provide quite the platform for the Gunners’ attacking players, who do not always contribute the most defensively to go forward.

A new holding midfielder of the requisite bite and quality would also go down a treat at the Emirates.

Solution 3 – Sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos

According to reports, Borussia Dortmund’s Greek international defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos will join the Gunners in a £16m deal to bolster Emery’s defensive options.

With Laurent Koscielny out, another body was needed and while Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos all have talent, Emery clearly wants someone for the here and now.

Virgil van Dijk has had a transformative effect on Liverpool’s defence so Emery will be hoping that new blood in the shape of Sokratis has a similar impact.

Solution 4 – Coach improvement from Shkodran Mustafi

In this era of bumper spending, many observers often lose sight of the fact that one way modern managers should justify their huge wages and reputation is by coaching improvement out of their existing players.

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In central defensive terms, Jose Mourinho appears largely incapable of that at Manchester United but Pep Guardiola, with Nicolas Otamendi, and Jurgen Klopp with Dejan Lovren have shown that it is possible and in some cases, necessary.

Mustafi, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, is an international defender with his best years ahead of him so Emery should be able to get more out of him than Wenger could.

Potentially, the aforementioned formation change to offer him more protection may be transformative for the German.

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Manchester United will turn their attention to signing Toby Alderweireld after sealing their deal for Fred but have been quoted £55m from Tottenham for his services, as per the Telegraph. 

What’s the latest, then?

The Telegraph claim that the arrival of Fred at Old Trafford has sparked the transfer window into life and that on the back of signing the Brazilian, Jose Mourinho has set about making Belgian international Alderweireld a part of his squad for next season.

However, they also say that Tottenham have set the asking price for the defender at £55m, despite the fact that his contract is dwindling and he missed a great deal of Tottenham’s games last season.

They also report that Alderweireld feels he has some idea of where he will be playing his football next season, suggesting that he has been given a steer on how talks are going over his future.

£55m is far too much

Daniel Levy is renowned for being a tough negotiator but even he must realise that it is ridiculous to demand £55m for an injury-prone, 29-year-old defender who is not in Mauricio Pochettino’s immediate plans given his refusal to sign a new contract.

United have swooped – rightfully – eyeing a cut-price deal, as is generally the case when a player’s contract is running out but Tottenham have set the bar too high and risk losing Alderweireld for a much-reduced fee further down the line.

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With Spurs also reportedly planning to do business with United over the sale of Anthony Martial, it would also be in their interest to strike up a good working relationship but their current asking price should make Jose Mourinho turn away and pursue other targets.

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Juventus are reportedly eyeing a move for Anthony Martial, and Tottenham should absolutely use the opportunity to grab Douglas Costa.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Juventus and Manchester United will meet to discuss Martial in the next few days.

Martial has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford since news broke that he wants to leave the club this summer, and the Red Devils would prefer to sell him abroad for obvious reasons.

Spurs have of course been one of the front-runners to land Martial, with reports suggesting they are the closest English club to securing his signature.

Any deal to send Martial to North London would almost definitely send Toby Alderweireld the other way, which is why Spurs should change course and let him go to Juventus… then target the man he would replace.

While Costa is versatile enough to play anywhere across the attack, the arrival of Martial would certainly hamper his playing time, so he could look for a move away.

The Brazilian is 27, so would undoubtedly come cheaper than Martial, allowing Pochettino and Spurs to invest more heavily in other areas.

Lucas Moura 2.0?

You only need to look at the difference Costa made for Brazil on Friday to see what a valuable addition he would be for Tottenham.

The tricky winger transformed the Brazilian attack in the 2-0 win against Costa Rica after coming on as a half time substitute, and his ability to beat defenders one on one is unrivalled.

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The Brazilian averaged an incredible 3.6 dribbles per game last season, and completed five dribbles in just 45 minutes against Costa Rica.

His end product has skyrocketed since joining the Italian champions, grabbing 12 league assists last season, though that’s no surprise when he is averaging nearly two key passes and one successful cross per game.

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Costa has dazzling skills, electric pace and a rocket of a left foot, and his ability to play multiple positions across the attack would allow Pochettino to switch things up and take some pressure of the likes to Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

Fans might compare him to Lucas Moura as they are both small, pacey Brazilian wingers, but Costa is a far superior player.

Tottenham would have to either break the bank or give up Alderweireld to land Martial, so they should simply forget the Frenchman and target the man he could replace at Juventus.

So, Spurs fans, which winger would you rather have? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

According to an exclusive report by the Daily Star, Southampton are hoping to pip Premier League rivals Leicester City to the signing of FC Basel attacker Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Saints fans have been quick to react to the rumour.

With Sofiane Boufal’s future at St Mary’s seemingly in doubt after he fell out with Mark Hughes in April and with Dusan Tadic said to be on the verge of signing for Ajax, the south coast outfit need a new attacking midfielder/winger and the 23-year-old certainly fits the bill.

The Norway international scored 13 goals and provided a further 17 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Swiss outfit, which included a goal and an assist in his team’s 2-1 win against Manchester City at the Etihad in March.

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Southampton supporters, who know two academy graduates they don’t want to replace Tadic if he does leave, took to social media to give their thoughts on the link, and while one said “this would be a great statement of intent by us”, another said “don’t think he’s good enough for the PL”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

After a season of publicly displayed anger, West Ham fans inside the Transfer Tavern were excited when they heard that Manuel Pellegrini has been appointed manager.

He’s won the Premier League with Manchester City but more importantly, he built Malaga and Valencia up from mid-table minnows to Champions League quarter-finalists while playing exciting football.

Pellegrini told West Ham’s official website “I always play attacking football”, and that will be music to Hammers’ ears, but first the Chilean must go and buy the players to make a success of his system. Premier League managers don’t get much time and nobody knows this more than ex-Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer who tried to implement a new style at Selhurst Park.

As we know, that turned sour pretty quickly, and he was sacked after four games and 77 days in charge, so Pellegrini certainly won’t want a repeat of this.

That mess can be avoided by the West Ham board backing Pellegrini in the transfer market to make sure has the players he needs.

The window has started well with the signing of centre back Issa Diop for £22m and Lukasz Fabianski for £7m, and now the Daily Star have reported they are in talks to sign tricky forward Bernard, albeit on a free transfer.

Gazzetta dello Sport claim West Ham are in talks to sign Lazio forward Felipe Anderson but are only prepared to pay £30m, while the Italian side are holding out for £40m.

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This will be a major test of West Ham’s commitment to the Pellegrini project, so it’s time for the board to put their money where their mouth is.

They can choose to back their manager and show the fans why they left the beloved Upton Park or risk another season of protests, abuse and riots in the Transfer Tavern.