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TalkSport’s Simon Jordan has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur owner Daniel Levy has the ‘responsibility’ to make sure he’s got the best recruitment staff. 

The Lowdown: Spurs spending

In comparison to the rest of the ‘big six’ Spurs have spent a lot less on their all-time record signing, according to FourFourTwo, Antonio Conte’s side spent £63 million on Tanguy Ndombele.

Interestingly it’s the same amount as fellow Premier League side Newcastle United who were only recently taken over in the last year or so.

The Latest: Jordan on Levy

Speaking live on TalkSport, Jordan claimed that Levy needs to have the best recruitment team around him if he’s not going to spend heavily on transfers.

He stated (0:12), “Someone could make the argument if you can’t stand the heat get the kitchen Tottenham Hotspur are a big football club with big ambitions and big aspirations and the rules of the game have changed.

“Daniel Levy runs this business as a business and it will not appeal to the Tottenham fans. It doesn’t play into the narrative of we must throw everything at it.

“We’ve got all the money to do it and Joe Lewis should get his hand in his pocket so should Daniel Levy.

“This is not the ownership model you have and tragically, Tottenham are in a situation where in order for them to be a big side, they’re going to have to go toe to toe with others or, be really, really good at what they’re doing in recruitment.

“Daniel’s responsibility is to make sure that he’s got the very best in class. Outside of his boardroom, dealing with the player recruitment to give them maximum value so they can trade properly by properly and give itself opportunity because they ain’t gonna spend the pound for pound with others.”

The Verdict: It can be done

The ethics of money in football has always been questioned for a long, long time, with people wondering if you can succeed without spending a lot of money.

Recently we’ve seen two clubs in the Premier League succeed without chucking huge amounts of cash at players, both Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford haven’t spent hefty fees on transfers but found success in this season.

With Tottenham having more than a respectable history over the years, attracting players wouldn’t be the hard part. What the challenge is in our view, is actually finding these players who won’t break the bank.

That’s where Brighton succeeded, having people who’ve covered every corner of the globe in search of the next big talent.

There’s no doubt Levy has the financial capabilities to employ top-tier recruitment staff, so in our view that could be an approach to take if he’s reluctant to spend lots of money on Spurs transfers.

Manchester United are interested in making a move for Roma and England striker Tammy Abraham this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Abraham improves in Italy

The Englishman made what was arguably a surprise move to Italy back in 2021, joining Roma in a deal that was reportedly worth £34million.

Abraham has justified his price tag for Roma, however, scoring 17 Serie A goals in a very productive 2021/22 season and netting 34 times in total since arriving.

Now, it could be that a new challenge is heading the 25-year-old’s way, following a key update regarding his future.

The Latest: Man Utd ‘monitoring’ striker

According to 90min, United are ‘monitoring’ Abraham’s current situation ahead of a potential summer move, but Aston Villa are the current front-runners to sign him.

The striker’s current Roma deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2026 but they are ‘ready to discuss selling’ following a slight drop off in form this season.

The Verdict: Is he good enough?

Abraham is undoubtedly a good player, having scored three times in 11 caps for England and being described as ‘big’ and ‘mobile’ by former striker Kevin Campbell.

There is an argument to say that United required a higher calibre of striker than him this summer, however, with the 6 ft 3 former Chelsea man not in that elite bracket in his position.

The Red Devils continue to be linked with a move for Napoli star Victor Osimhen and he is on another level to Abraham, having scored 18 league goals in as many starts this season.

This is the standard of player that United need to be signing to lead their attack, and with Abraham potentially costing more than £40million, they would be wise to look at other options.

Raul Jimenez was once a free-scoring fan favourite at Molineux, but it seems clear that Wolves should have cashed in on him when they had the chance.

How has Raul Jimenez performed at Wolves?

The Old Gold signed the Mexico international from Benfica on an initial loan basis following their promotion to the Premier League in 2018, with the striker later joining permanently in a then club-record deal worth £30m.

He proved to be a huge hit in his first season with the club, hitting 17 goals and eight assists in all competitions as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side earned themselves a place in the Europa League thanks to an impressive debut season back in the top flight.

The powerful forward followed that up in 2019/20 with a phenomenal 27 goals and ten assists in all competitions for the Old Gold, at which point clubs such as Real Madrid were credited with an interest. Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan labelled him “world-class” and suggested that the Mexican was good enough to play for Manchester City.

It is easy to look back with hindsight and suggest that Wolves should have cashed in on Jimenez at his peak, as he has sadly not been the same player since his awful head injury in 2020.

His fractured skull meant that the Mexican managed just ten appearances in the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign, mustering just four goals, before his return to regular football the following season.

Should Wolves have sold Raul Jimenez?

Jimenez has just nine goals in 49 appearances since that injury and has failed to find the net in any of his Premier League appearances so far this term, with his relationship with new manager Julen Lopetegui and the fans becoming somewhat strained as a result of his injury issues earlier in the season.

The Mexican missed much of the opening few weeks of the campaign under Bruno Lage as a result of injury and fitness issues but he still travelled to Qatar to compete in the World Cup, which frustrated those at Molineux.

Were the Old Gold not in a relegation fight due to a lack of goals, which has not been amended by the signings of Matheus Cunha and Diego Costa (zero league goals between them), it would not have been a surprise to see Lopetegui cash in on Jimenez last month.

However, he is now a bit-part player in the Spaniard’s squad and no longer possesses the ability that he used to show on a regular basis at Molineux, while at 31, the likelihood is that he is only going to decline further.

At his peak in 2020, Jimenez was valued at €40m (£35.2m) by Transfermarkt but the same website has decreased his value by 70% to just €12m (£10.6m), a fee which Wolves would be lucky to receive now given his injury record, goalscoring downturn and contract situation (current deal expires in June 2024) at Molineux.

Therefore, Lopetegui should arguably have got rid of the Mexico international and his £100k-per-week wages last month, as it would not be a surprise to see him depart for a minimal fee at the end of the season unless he can undergo a huge and unlikely turnaround at Molineux.

Arsenal have enjoyed some great success in the transfer market over the previous few seasons, with Mikel Arteta going through a rebuilding job which is lowering the average age while still having enough quality to compete for the biggest prizes.

The Spaniard has signed the likes of Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Aaron Ramsdale, and Ben White, who have all improved the first-team squad while offloading players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Calum Chambers, and Willian, which freed up some of the wage budget.

Arteta hasn’t gotten much wrong in the transfer market, yet letting Joe Willock leave on a permanent basis for £25m in the summer of 2021 might just be one of his rare blunders, especially with his current value.

What has Joe Willock achieved since leaving Arsenal?

Having made 78 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 11 goals, Arteta clearly felt £25m for a player who wouldn’t be a regular in his side was far too good to turn down.

Willock initially moved to Newcastle United on loan in January 2021, impressing in the North East, scoring eight goals in just 14 matches with that remarkable run of form leading the club to make the move permanent.

Last season, the 23-year-old endured a rocky spell, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.71/10, ranking him as just the 17th-best player in the Newcastle squad. With that in mind, Arteta will have been thanking his lucky stars that the club decided to cash in.

This season however, he has improved, registering four goal contributions in 22 matches – already double what he achieved last year in seven fewer matches – while creating five big chances, making 0.9 key passes, and averaging 41.2 touches per match, proving himself to be an integral part in Newcastle’s chase for the European spots this term.

Indeed, he ranks second in the squad for big chances created, fifth for goals and assists, and sixth for tackles per game, further underlining how much he has improved since last term, where he ranked outside the top 15 for big chances created, 12th for goals and assists while maintaining a sixth spot for tackles per match.

Such are his impressive performances recently, Football Transfers value the midfielder at €34.2m (£30m) and this will surely only increase if he keeps performing well.

Arteta’s midfield is hardly full of options and in a campaign where the club has had to rely on the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Albert Sambi-Lokonga to plug gaps, Arteta may rue his call on selling the player.

Indeed, Willock could well have proved a useful squad player, operating in the number 8 role that Granit Xhaka has thrived in, scoring goals from deep just as the Newcastle man has done at St James’ Park.

The Englishman was dubbed “limitless” by former Arsenal manager Unai Emery back in 2019 after breaking through under the Spaniard and although it may have taken a few years, it looks like he is finally beginning to deliver on his early promise and could be an important part of the Newcastle side as they chase their highest league finish in over a decade.

Arsenal are reportedly hoping that Granit Xhaka, William Saliba and Aaron Ramsdale will follow Bukayo Saka in signing new contracts soon.

The Lowdown: Saka deal agreed

It was first reported by The Daily Mail on Thursday evening that Saka is close to signing a new contract at the Emirates Stadium worth £200,000-per-week.

The winger has made it clear after talks that he would like to stay, with an agreement in principle already in place.

The Latest: Three more to follow?

Writing for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has shared that Arsenal are hoping to follow up a deal for Saka with new contracts for Xhaka, Saliba and Ramsdale.

They have already secured the signatures of Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah this season, and now more first-team players could be following suit soon.

The Verdict: Exciting future

To secure so many first-team players on new deals further shows the exciting team that Mikel Arteta is building.

They have the youngest average age in the Premier League, and sit top of the table, so keeping the squad together over the next few years will be vital.

On £120,000, £60,000 and £40,000-per-week respectively, Xhaka, Ramsdale and Saliba can expect an increase in wages with their new contracts, which would all be well-deserved considering that they have all been key players this season.

Nonetheless, supporters will be hoping that all of these new deals can be wrapped up sooner rather than later.

Leeds United have endured varying success with their transfer business since returning to the Premier League.

Marcelo Bielsa enjoyed a fine first season back in the top flight with few additions, but it was his reliance on a smaller squad that ended up being his downfall. Injuries and loss of form meant they suffered numerous heavy defeats, and the Argentine saw his time at Elland Road cut short.

That even came after he had tried to bolster the squad, most notably relinquishing £18m to sign Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad. However, his introduction did not have the desired effect towards solidifying the Whites’ leaky defence.

Then, with Jesse Marsch’s arrival, the Spaniard saw his play time dwindle even further. This culminated in his exit in January, as he joined AS Roma on loan with an option for the Italian outfit to sign him permanently.

It marked a huge lack of faith in the defender whose value has plummeted since his move in 2020.

How has Diego Llorente played for Leeds?

The 29-year-old only mustered 59 appearances for the club before this departure, and this season had made just six league starts. Even when he did feature, his average Sofascore rating of 6.67 was indicative of a huge underperformance.

It marked a sharp downturn from his first season success, where he averaged a 7.01 rating whilst recording 2.3 tackles and 2.5 clearances per game (via Sofascore).

His decline has coincided with that of the club’s into one scrapping for relegation in recent seasons, with his display in January drawing particular admonishment from journalist Jake Winderman.

He wrote on Twitter: “Diego Llorente and Junior Firpo go back into the squad and the defense looks even worse than usual. This is an absolute joke.”

As such, Football Transfers note that the nadir of his expected Transfer Value now sits at a dismal €4.3 (£3.8m); a visual indicator of his waning powers.

Llorente had lost the faith of his management but was sent away just before Javi Gracia was chosen as the man to succeed Marsch.

Perhaps he could have recaptured his form under his compatriot, and this negligence only further outlines the mockery the ownership has made of the club in recent years.

Bielsa is revered in Yorkshire, and rightly so, but with this particular deal, it seems he got it badly wrong.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has handed Manchester United a transfer blow as Frenkie de Jong is “happy” at Barcelona and has yet to say anything to suggest he wants to leave.

What’s the latest on Frenkie de Jong to Man United?

It’s no secret that the Red Devils were very keen on bringing the midfielder to the Premier League last summer but no deal ever came to pass.

Even so, it seems as though the club will go back in for De Jong once more at the end of the current season with The Guardian recently reporting about a renewed transfer interest.

What’s more, reports suggest that Barca may have to sell a number of players in the summer if they want to be active in the upcoming window amid their own financial difficulties.

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained: “We know how Erik ten Hag is a big fan of De Jong, he’s always been a big fan; this is not changing. Erik ten Hag would love to have Frenkie de Jong with him.

“But the reality as of today is that Frankie has not communicated to anyone, to Barcelona or to anyone, that he wants to leave and he wants to be on the market.

“Frenkie’s happy with Barcelona. He’s playing, he’s an important player for Xavi. So at the moment, the situation is under control.”

What do the De Jong links mean for MUFC?

In the past, it seemed as though De Jong was pretty happy to turn down any advances made by Man Utd in favour of staying put and proving himself in La Liga.

In fairness to him, it seems as though he’s done just that this term having played in all but two league games this season, starting 18, as Barca look set to win the title thanks to the nine-point lead they currently have over Real Madrid.

However, the midfielder does have a relationship with Erik ten Hag, having made 59 appearances for the coach when they were both at Ajax – so perhaps his arm could be twisted.

Still, it sounds as though De Jong has his mind firmly focused on Barcelona right now, so it’s probably not worth United fans getting their hopes up just yet.

Leeds United's desperation for a left back has been there for all to see, yet Jesse Marsch opted against plugging that gap in January as the American focused on spending big elsewhere.

It is clear that he saw his biggest worry with the squad as their lack of goals, so unloaded a club- record fee on Georginio Rutter and brought in Weston McKennie to supplement him from midfield.

However, with the former RB Salzburg boss having since been sacked and those aforementioned signings having disappointed thus far, it is clear that under Javi Gracia their issues down the left flank have persisted.

With Junior Firpo proving to be a "liability" – in the words of the Daily Mirror's David Anderson – and Pascal Struijk unnatural in that role, perhaps the Spaniard could turn to his youth setup where he boasts a top talent for the U21s who is starring in that position of peril.

Thus, to fix Marsch's Firpo blunder, Gracia must seek to call up Keenan Carole.

Who is Keenan Carole?

Having signed his first professional deal with the Whites last year, the decision marked a huge show of faith for the winger who has slowly been pushed into a more defensive role.

Often the best full-backs are noted as former wingers, which is imperative for them to succeed in the modern game.

Despite his youth, the 18-year-old remains a mainstay in the U21 setup at Thorp Arch, having recorded nine goal contributions the season prior for the U18s to earn his promotion.

Such is his undeniable quality, his ability to play at a level far beyond his expectancy marks him out as a potential first-team candidate for the present or near future.

His father, former Leeds winger Seb Carole, suggested that his tutelage has aided his son to surpass his legacy at Elland Road, as he told the Yorkshire Evening Post:

"I helped him on the technical side of the game, since he was little, his first touch, getting good composure on the ball because I wanted him to be a skilful player going forward, not scared to take people on. That was my game. I think I was a good dribbler but I want him to be even better and I think he will.”

He concluded by claiming: "He’s high potential and if he carries on he’ll go far".

With this glittering endorsement and the offensive qualities to thrive from left back, he could be the solution to Gracia's issues, which would only make Marsch's January blunder look even more foolish.

An image from the most recent Aston Villa game suggests that the Villans should have probably been awarded a penalty by referee Robert Jones and his VAR team.

What's the latest on VAR and Aston Villa?

In the Premier League this weekend, Unai Emery and his team manged to pick up all three points in an impressive 3-0 win at Villa Park in front of their own fans.

Indeed, goals from Douglas Luiz, Jacob Ramsey and Emi Buendia saw the home team race to victory against the relegation-threatened Bournemouth.

Despite the comfortable win in the end, the game was still in the balance up until the 80th minute when Villa finally added their second goal.

However, things could have been made a lot easier had the referee pointed to the spot when a shot in the first half from Ramsey clearly seemed to be blocked by a hand (image via BBC Match of the Day).

Why wasn't the penalty given for Aston Villa?

Seeing as Jack Stephens blocks the ball with his hand inside the Bournemouth penalty box, the defender can count himself pretty lucky that he wasn't punished.

VAR even chose to check the incident after Jones failed to spot it in real-time but perhaps decided the centre-back didn't have his arms in an unnatural decision – or maybe felt that the incident just wasn't a big enough mistake to rule against the referee's on pitch call.

Ultimately, it didn't change the outcome of the game with Villa still going on to pick up the win and all three points but had the Cherries been able to get themselves back on level scores, this moment may well have been viewed as a controversial turning point in the match.

Tottenham Hotspur have been urged by journalist Pete O’Rourke to make a ‘really exciting’ manager appointment by moving for Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi.

The Lowdown: Conte to leave?

In the wake of Antonio Conte’s explosive rant after the 3-3 draw against Southampton on Saturday, journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has claimed the manager’s position is ‘completely untenable’, however he still remains in the dugout, at least for the time being.

Alasdair Gold has now reported that the Italian has spoken to the board about his outburst, clarifying that his comments were solely aimed at the players, rather than the board, perhaps in an attempt to save his job.

Regardless, the comments will not have been taken lightly by the Tottenham hierarchy, and the club continue to be linked with potential replacements for the summer.

The Latest: O’Rourke hails De Zerbi

In an interview with GiveMeSport, O’Rourke suggested that De Zerbi should be targeted by Spurs in the summer, after his fantastic start to life in the Premier League as Brighton manager.

The journalist said: “I think it’d be a really exciting appointment if De Zerbi was to go to Spurs.

“Obviously the job he’s done at Brighton has been really impressive. You’ve seen it go on another level since Graham Potter. Brighton are now among the top sides in the Premier League and his style of football means he wants to play attacking football, with real slick passing and scoring goals as well.

“So I think that would fit the Tottenham style, which obviously a lot of Spurs fans have not been happy with under Antonio Conte.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

In light of Conte’s recent outburst, the Tottenham board may choose to accelerate their hunt for a new manager, and the 43-year-old could be a very shrewd appointment, given his success so far.

The 43-year-old is one game away from leading Brighton to Wembley in the FA Cup, having masterminded a fantastic 2-1 victory against defending champions Liverpool, while his side are also in contention to qualify for Europe.

The Seagulls are currently seventh in the table, seven points behind Spurs, who occupy fourth place, with a total of three games in hand, so a remarkable end to the season is well and truly on the cards.

De Zerbi is likely to be a man in demand this summer if Brighton have a strong end to the season, but Spurs could be an attractive proposition for him, so long as they are able to secure Champions League football.