Tottenham outsmarts Manchester United
Last week, Tottenham appointed Ange Postecoglou as their new manager, and the club has yet to spend time in the transfer market, making progress towards securing a target previously identified by Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Tottenham is currently engaged in negotiations to sign goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford, with the intention of beating Manchester United to his signature. Raya, a 27-year-old Spain international, is poised to become Postecoglou’s first signing since his appointment, following an extensive search for a permanent successor to Antonio Conte. While United has shown interest in Raya to provide competition for fellow Spaniard David de Gea, Tottenham aims to secure his services.
Manager Erik ten Hag is seeking a goalkeeper who is comfortable with the ball and capable of contributing to the team’s build-up play. Raya fits this profile perfectly, having been impressed during his four-year spell at Brentford and progressing through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers.
Postecoglou, known for implementing an attractive style of football, is searching for a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris, Tottenham’s captain who is expected to depart North London this summer after 11 seasons as the team’s number-one goalkeeper. Tottenham has turned its attention to Raya, and discussions regarding personal terms have reportedly been progressing positively, as stated by the Evening Standard.
Manchester United and Premier League rivals Chelsea are monitoring the situation closely, as Brentford has set a £40 million price tag for Raya. However, given that the goalkeeper has only one year remaining on his contract, Tottenham is currently reluctant to meet the demands set by Brentford.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has already secured the services of a new goalkeeper ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, having signed Mark Flekken from Freiburg in an £11 million deal. Raya had rejected two contract offers from Brentford’s management, and the club acknowledges that selling him this summer would be the most favorable financial option.
A bid to keep Romelu Lukaku
Inter Milan’s president, Steven Zhang, is committed to finding a solution to secure a new agreement for Romelu Lukaku. Despite Lukaku’s shocking miss in the Champions League final, Zhang still praised the on-loan Chelsea striker, describing him as “amazing.” Lukaku, who is 30 years old, wants to remain at Inter for another season rather than return to Stamford Bridge this summer to revive his Chelsea career under Mauricio Pochettino.
During the final, Lukaku was a substitute, but his performance will be forever remembered for the astonishing miss in the dying moments against Manchester City. Lukaku had the entire goal to aim at from an incredibly close range but headed the ball straight at City goalkeeper Ederson, who made the save.
Interestingly, Lukaku’s miss may even overshadow City midfielder Rodri’s winning goal in the final. It also exposed some of Lukaku’s issues, such as no longer being a regular starter at Inter, being wasteful in front of goal, and his substantial contract posing a significant problem for Chelsea.
Lukaku was signed for £97.5 million two years ago and still has three years remaining on his £325,000-a-week contract. Realistically, Inter cannot afford to purchase him outright, so they are seeking another loan deal. However, this situation doesn’t truly address Chelsea’s need to balance their financial books.
Nevertheless, Zhang acknowledged Lukaku’s strong connection to Inter, stating that he has great affection for the club. Zhang regards Lukaku as an exceptional individual. However, since Lukaku is contracted to Chelsea, Inter must wait and engage in discussions with Chelsea to determine the way forward.
Inter has faced significant financial challenges in recent seasons, yet they defied many predictions by giving Manchester City a major scare in the final.
According to reports, Manchester United is making preparations to make a bid for Everton’s Jordan Pickford.
The Red Devils desire for Jordan Pickford
The Red Devils are aiming to address their goalkeeping situation for the upcoming season, and the potential acquisition of the England No 1 could bring about a change at Old Trafford. David de Gea has been the preferred choice for United since joining the club in 2011, but his own future remains uncertain.
While it is believed that De Gea is close to signing a new contract, United is still planning to pursue Everton’s shot-stopper, who played a crucial role in helping the Toffees remain in the Premier League with some impressive performances. As reported by The Sun, Erik ten Hag is eager to bring in a goalkeeper who can challenge De Gea and is prepared to test Everton’s determination with an offer of approximately £30 million. Everton, who spent the same amount to acquire Pickford from Sunderland in 2017, may find this offer acceptable. In the event of a deal being struck, Tom Heaton, who is currently part of United’s squad, could potentially move to Goodison Park.
Pickford is enthusiastic about playing in the Champions League, and United can provide him with that opportunity after finishing third in the previous season. Dean Henderson, who spent the previous year on loan at Nottingham Forest, might also permanently leave Manchester, leaving Ten Hag in need of additional reinforcements.
De Gea has faced criticism in recent seasons, which has led to doubts about his future, and there is increasing interest from the Middle East, where major names in the sport are being pursued. Should De Gea choose to move, he would likely have to accept a significant reduction in his substantial wages. His performance was scrutinized after conceding the winning goal in the FA Cup final.
Ten Hag chose not to publicly criticize his goalkeeper, despite Ilkay Gundogan’s volley sneaking past him in the second half at Wembley. Just a week earlier, De Gea had been awarded the Premier League’s Golden Glove, and Ten Hag acknowledged his fantastic season. “At this moment, I don’t want to discuss criticisms because we have all had a great season, including David de Gea,” he stated.
The performances of the Spanish goalkeeper, who had previously won the club’s Player of the Year award four times in five years, have been marred by increasing errors. Earlier in the year, he made a significant blunder in a 4-0 defeat against Brentford.
Ten Hag has expressed his desire to bring in a goalkeeper who can provide strong competition for De Gea. Throughout De Gea’s tenure at Old Trafford, many of his backups have primarily served as his understudies. Although Martin Dubravka was signed on loan last season, he saw limited opportunities.
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