'Number one signing': Tottenham urged to sign player Bukayo Saka is 'in awe' of as 'Arsenal don't need him'

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 23, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Arsenal have a pretty tough start to the new Premier League season, including playing Tottenham Hotspur on September 15.

Mikel Arteta has guided his team to back-to-back wins at Tottenham in recent seasons and if he makes it a hat-trick, then it will seriously aid their title chances.

Everyone watched Arsenal get pipped to the Premier League title by Manchester City on the last day of the previous campaign.

But it’s pretty clear that they need a pretty fast start, and if they are top by the end of September, then it will be a statement of intent.

Simply because Arsenal face Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester City (all away) in the first month of the season.

That’s a pretty tough opening, but Tottenham will want to spoil their party and you feel they are going to need the ingredients to do it.

Tottenham have already secured the transfer of Archie Gray, but Darren Ambrose feels more is needed.

Even though Arsenal and Spurs are two very attacking sides, their fans still crave that much-needed striker.

Ambrose thinks there is only one man his boyhood club should bring in and that’s Brentford hitman, Ivan Toney.

The former Crystal Palace midfielder added that he ‘doesn’t think Arsenal need him as much as Spurs’ and he should be Postecoglou’s ‘number one signing’, as he told talkSPORT (21/07/24 at 4:15 pm).

Ivan Toney urged to join Tottenham Hotspur over Arsenal

“I think we need a striker, I do,” said Ambrose. “The only striker really that would say is available is Ivan Toney. I think, will Arsenal be looking at Ivan Toney. Perhaps. I don’t think Arsenal need him as much as Spurs do. I think they were the second top scorers in the Premier League last season. 91 goals.

“Ivan Toney for Spurs would be my number one signing. I would go all out to get him because I think everyone wants that top, top striker.”

Ivan Toney’s Brentford future

The 28-year-old recently concluded a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign with England where they lost in the final to Spain.

Bukayo Saka stated that he was ‘in awe’ of Toney, with the Brentford star having 12 months left on his current deal.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

Sources have told HITC Tottenham and Arsenal’s transfer stance on Toney, as Atletico de Madrid also enters the race for his signature.

You feel the time is now right for Toney to take that next step in his career and play for a club in Europe.

The post 'Number one signing': Tottenham urged to sign player Bukayo Saka is 'in awe' of as 'Arsenal don't need him' appeared first on HITC.

‘What a substitution’: Darren Ambrose can’t believe who won’t start for Tottenham under Postecoglou next season

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 23, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Ange Postecoglou is slowly building up his Tottenham Hotspur squad for the new Premier League season.

In Postecoglou’s debut campaign, he guided Spurs to fifth in the Premier League table, even though they lost Harry Kane, but they weren’t in Europe.

After ten Premier League matches, Tottenham were flying high, sitting top of the table and playing the best football in the country.

But then the injuries hit and things went south. Darren Bent told James Maddison two players ‘derailed’ their season.

That’s a warning to Postecoglou that he needs to bulk up his squad even more than before, or else things might get worse.

That’s why Tottenham have secured the transfer of Archie Gray and brought back Timo Werner on a season-long loan deal.

Pre-season is underway and Tottenham fans are all saying the same thing about Gray’s pre-season performance, with the 18-year-old looking like he is here to start pretty much straightaway.

Darren Ambrose can see Gray starting in the middle of the park when the London club open their Premier League campaign away at newly-promoted Leicester City on August 19.

• Monday 19th August
  Premier League

  • LeicesterLeicester

    20:00

    TottenhamTottenham

• Saturday 24th August
  Premier League

  • TottenhamTottenham

    15:00

    EvertonEverton

• Sunday 1st September
  Premier League

  • NewcastleNewcastle

    13:30

    TottenhamTottenham

With Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma alongside, it would mean a place on the bench for the experienced, Rodrigo Bentancur.

As a result, Ambrose can’t believe Bentancur would be on the bench by adding ‘what a substitution’, as he told talkSPORT (21/07/24 at 4:15 pm).

Rodrigo Bentancur as a Tottenham Hotspur substitute

“Bentancur, where does he play,” asked Scott Minto. To which Ambrose responded: “I don’t think he does. I think Sarr, Bissouma and Archie Gray are the three.

“Bentancur, what a substitution to have as well. But having these players as squad players, you can rotate, which is what big clubs do and Spurs never had that big squad. That’s why they have fallen off it a lot of times.”

Don’t sleep on Rodrigo Bentancur

The 27-year-old missed the start of the previous campaign because he was returning from a long-term injury and then he suffered a setback against Aston Villa in November.

As a result, he didn’t have any rhythm or sharpness to his game, which meant that he was in and out of the XI.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

What also didn’t help matters was the fact that Tottenham were starting to falter.

But now, Bentancur will have a pre-season under his belt, that sharpness back and he will be quickly proving that he is one of Tottenham’s best players.

When he was last fully fit and starting regularly, he was outstanding under Antonio Conte and helped the team to the Champions League.

The post ‘What a substitution’: Darren Ambrose can’t believe who won’t start for Tottenham under Postecoglou next season appeared first on HITC.

'I am sorry’: Scott Minto reacts as Tottenham Hotspur are about to conclude a deal

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 22, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Tottenham Hotspur fans should be fairly happy with how their summer transfer window has panned out so far.

From the get-go, as soon as the 2023/24 Premier League season concluded, they brought back Timo Werner on a season-long loan deal and it received a mixed reaction.

But then the excitement levels started flowing because the London club secured the transfer of highly-rated winger, Lucas Bergvall.

The big talents coming in didn’t stop there because Tottenham then secured the transfer of Archie Gray, with fans hopeful that the big names keep flowing in.

But for those players to be added, the club’s sporting director Johan Lange needs to ‘balance the books’.

Tottenham fans have all been saying the same thing about Gray in pre-season, as it seems that he is ready to start straight away for Tottenham.

For that to happen, players will need to make way from the XI and it will also reduce the game time of those craving for minutes from the bench.

If you are an upcoming player or an academy product, then it’s much easier for you to fight for your place.

But for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, it signals one thing and one thing only, and that’s the end of his Tottenham career, after he joined the club in 2020 from Southampton.

Back in April, Postecoglou reacted to Hojbjerg admitting that he ‘isn’t satisfied’ at Tottenham, so no-one should be surprised that he is now headed to Marseille.

Sources have told HITC that Hojbjerg is nearing an exit from Spurs and personal terms have been agreed.

Scott Minto pointed out that, on the ball, the Denmark international perhaps doesn’t suit the way Tottenham or Postecoglou want to play.

But he did admit that he is ‘sorry’ to see the player leave because his ‘leadership’ qualities on and off the pitch are going to be missed, as he told talkSPORT (21/07/24 at 4:10 pm).

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to leave Tottenham Hotspur

“He is maybe not easy on the eye, in terms of the typical Spurs player or maybe an Ange player,” said Minto. “That’s his biggest issue.

“(Last season) Brentford were 2-0 up against Spurs and he came off the bench to drag the team back into it. He has those leadership qualities. I thought he was the best player on the park for England v Denmark. When you brought in the likes of Archie Gray, and he has started pre-season very well. 

“But we go back to balancing the books. We are probably going to do a lot of that, aren’t we? If you are going to bring players in, then you probably have to get rid of a few players. I just think in terms of that dressing room player. We know how important that person is, not just on the pitch, but daily, in the dressing room, making sure standards are high and training is really at it. I am sorry to see him go.”

Who will join after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s exit?

That’s going to be the question on everyone’s lips, as Gray is through the doors, but surely Spurs bulk up their squad further in the middle of the park.

Sources have told HITC about Conor Gallagher’s stance at Chelsea as Tottenham watch on, with the Europa League side very keen.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

Given the energy with which Gallagher plays the game and how he can win the ball high up the pitch, you can see him filling that void from Hojbjerg.

But the England international doesn’t have the leadership skills of the soon-to-be departing Dane, even if Gallagher donned the Chelsea armband last season.

The post 'I am sorry’: Scott Minto reacts as Tottenham Hotspur are about to conclude a deal appeared first on HITC.

‘He has got to go’: Striker Declan Rice dubbed 'unbelievable' told to join Chelsea or West Ham

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 22, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Chelsea and West Ham United are in the same boat this summer because they both crave that much-needed striker.

It’s fair to say that the duo have had their problems in that department over the years, with their goals coming from out wide rather than from their main hitman.

Cole Palmer scored an incredible 22 goals in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge – and now Chelsea fans could get some very good news about Palmer.

With one left-footer working his magic on one side of London, over in the East, Jarrad Bowen is proving to be the go-to-guy for West Ham.

The 27-year-old scored 16 Premier League goals last time out, despite playing in a defensive-minded system under David Moyes – sources told HITC how Bowen is feeling about a move to Newcastle.

You feel if either of those two clubs can add that prolific number nine to their ranks, then they would certainly take the next step.

It also needs to be noted that Chelsea and West Ham will have new managers in the dugout for next season.

Enzo Maresca left newly promoted Leicester City to take the Chelsea gig, whilst Julen Lopetegui is the man hoping to take West Ham forward.

But Scott Minto wants either of his former clubs to sign a player who he feels ‘has got to go’ and leave his club this summer.

The former left-back stated that ‘I would like to see Ivan Toney in a Chelsea shirt’ as he also included West Ham in that conversation, as he told talkSPORT (21/07/24 at 4:15 pm).

Toney has 12 months left on his Brentford contract and Minto feels he could do a job if he were to step up a level.

Ivan Toney at Chelsea or West Ham United

“I just think Ivan Toney has got to go,” said Minto. “He has a year left on his contract and they aren’t going down this season. The question is where?

“I would like to see him in a Chelsea shirt, personally. I would love to see him in a West Ham shirt, one of those two.”

Latest on Ivan Toney’s future

Sources have told HITC the latest transfer stance on Toney, with Atletico Madrid joining the race for his signature.

The 28-year-old missed half of the previous campaign because he was serving a suspension for betting offences.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

That meant that he only scored four goals and he was probably lucky that Gareth Southgate still called him up to England’s Euro 2024 squad.

Despite that, Declan Rice still stated that Toney was ‘unbelievable’ at Euro 2024, with England faltering at the end and losing to Spain in the final. 

The post ‘He has got to go’: Striker Declan Rice dubbed 'unbelievable' told to join Chelsea or West Ham appeared first on HITC.

‘Not what Celtic want to hear': Marvin Bartley sends a clear message on possible Adam Idah deal

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 21, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Celtic have sorted one priority position out by adding in two new goalkeepers this summer, but other positions remain unfilled.

Joe Hart’s retirement left a big hole in the middle of the Celtic goal.

But Celtic have signed highly-rated youngster Viljami Sinisalo and experienced shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel to counter that.

That has got the thumbs up from the Celtic support and they are very much pleased with the road their club have gone down.

But that Adam Idah cloud still hovers above the club’s head and supporters are hoping Brendan Rodgers can get his man.

The Republic of Ireland international only spent six months at Parkhead, but he became an instant hero and now many want him to return.

Not only did he help Brendan Rodgers guide Celtic to the title, but he also scored some very important goals against Rangers.

No more so than Idah scoring the winner as Celtic beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup final, but fast forward to the present and he is still a Norwich City player. 

The Championship club have a new manager in the dugout – Johannes Hoff Thorup – and he has spoken about Idah’s future.

Even though the 23-year-old was loaned out, Hoff Thorup sees Idah as an ‘important player’ going forward for the promotion-chasers.

Marvin Bartley made it clear that it’s ‘not what Celtic fans want to hear’ and now they will have to push the boat out to sign him, as he told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard. 

Will Celtic sign Adam Idah?

“No, not at all,” agreed Bartley that Celtic fans won’t want to hear that about Idah from the Norwich manager. “As I said, on the back of the way he ended the season with Celtic. A lot of their fans wanted that transfer and they wanted it done straight away. 

“It’s always going to be difficult with a new manager coming into Norwich. He was always going to look at his squad. He sees Adam as a big part of that – if a player wants to go somewhere and the club meets the valuation, then they will still go, regardless of what managers say. But it’s not what Celtic want to hear.

“What you want to hear is that he is ‘surplus to requirements. If we can move him on, then we will’, then you pay a lot less for him. I think Celtic are going to have to put their hands deep into their pocket if they want to bring him to the football club, because they have to prize him away from Norwich, rather than Norwich moving him on.”

Time for Celtic board to prove their worth

It wasn’t so long ago that the Celtic fans were chanting ‘sack the board’ as the team were losing at home to Hearts.

The board have been pretty clear with their strategy in the transfer market and it has resulted in pure dominance on the domestic stage, even if the European performances state otherwise.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

But you sense the fans would like the powers that be to just push that boat out and bring in Idah before the window slams shut.

Not only did he fit in perfectly at Celtic, but he scored big, big goals for the team and that’s not easy to purchase.

The post ‘Not what Celtic want to hear': Marvin Bartley sends a clear message on possible Adam Idah deal appeared first on HITC.

‘One of the best’: Paul Merson issues reminder about Tottenham star as he reacts to Man United's transfer call

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 21, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United missed out on Champions League football last season.

From the perspective of Spurs, they had no European football when Ange Postecoglou arrived and he guided them to fifth despite losing Harry Kane.

Manchester United produced their worst league finish in over three decades and finished outside of the European places.

But Erik ten Hag guided Manchester United to FA Cup glory over Manchester City and saved his skin.

Manchester United then handed ten Hag a new deal and now they are backing him in the summer transfer market.

The FA Cup winners have gone down a certain road with these deals, including buying young players and personnel from ten Hag’s home country.

That’s also proven by the new faces in the dugout, including the addition of former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy as coach.

Young forward Joshua Kirkzee also joined Manchester United even if the deal shocked others, but they aren’t stopping there.

Sources have told HITC that Matthijs de Ligt has held talks amid a possible transfer to Manchester United, with Paul Merson describing all of this as a ‘recipe for disaster’

But, whilst Merson questioned whether or not all these deals will work, he did highlight how de Ligt might not get in the Netherlands XI, but nor does Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and he is ‘one of the best’, as he told Football’s Greatest.

Manchester United’s transfer strategy

On Manchester United bringing in Dutch players including Dutch coaches this summer: “I would go for B (a recipe for disaster rather than a good plan),” said Merson.

“We keep going back to the Dutch and we have the Johan Cruyff thing. He changed football. Phenomenal man. God bless him. Still living in that. How many people have we seen score 30-40 goals in the Dutch league, then can’t score a goal?

“We keep talking about the Dutch way of playing, this and that. What have Holland done in the last god knows how long?! Not could the Tottenham centre-half (get any minutes for the Dutch at Euro 2024, just like de Ligt). He is one of the best.”

Micky van de Ven at Euro 2024

The Spurs speedster had one of the best seasons of his career and he was heading towards Euro 2024 in form.

But Ronald Koeman saw him as a bench player which meant that he made zero starts at the tournament, alongside de Ligt.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

In truth, the Dutch weren’t expected to do much at the Euros, but they did reach the semi-finals.

So, based on the squad that they had, compared to others, they were, at least, on target with what they had at their disposal, even if they would have been disappointed at how they crashed out. 

The post ‘One of the best’: Paul Merson issues reminder about Tottenham star as he reacts to Man United's transfer call appeared first on HITC.

'Typical': Craig Burley shocked at Chelsea wanting to sign La Liga star Liverpool could target

By: Muhammad Saeed on July 21, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Chelsea and Liverpool will begin the 2024/25 Premier League season with new managers in the dugout. 

Both clubs didn’t plan, nor want to be in this situation last summer, but here they are!

The Liverpool crowd listened to Jurgen Klopp chant Arne Slot’s name after his final game as manager in May, with the Dutchman now beginning work on Merseyside and hoping to challenge for the Premier League title.

Then many were left shocked by Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea exit after the season ended, with Enzo Maresca coming into the building and aiming to get the club back into the Champions League.

If both managers want to achieve their targets, then they are going to need help via the summer transfer market.

Liverpool have been pretty quiet so far, with nothing coming in or goin out and you wonder when their window will spark into life.

On the other hand, those at Stamford Bridge have been pretty busy by adding five new faces to their squad, including the arrival of Chelsea’s new midfielder from Leicester City, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

But you just know they aren’t finished yet, with Craig Burley sounding fed up by the club’s latest transfer rumour.

The former Scotland international was reacting to the suggestion that Chelsea want to sign Real Madrid goalkeeper, Andriy Lunin.

But Burley stated that it’s ‘typical’ of the London club and he highlighted how they love bringing in the number two choice keeper of other clubs, as he told ESPN.

Chelsea want to sign Andriy Lunin

“Lunin?!” responded Burley after being told who Chelsea want as their goalkeeper. “Another number two?! That would be typical of this Chelsea team, wouldn’t it?!

“So, they brought in Brighton’s number two, Robert Sanchez. They then brought in Petrovic from Major League Soccer as a number two, who became their number one.

“Now they are looking to bring in another number two.”

Liverpool could target Andriy Lunin

You may ask why when Liverpool have one of the best keepers in the world – Alisson Becker – but his future isn’t certain.

Sources have told HITC that the Reds will target Lunin if their number one stopper is involved in a worst-case scenario of joining a team in Saudi Arabia – Liverpool signing Lunin may see Kepa Arrizabalaga finally end his Chelsea nightmare.

READ MORE: 50 MOST LIKELY PREMIER LEAGUE, EFL AND EUROPEAN SUMMER 2024 FOOTBALL TRANSFERS

Either way, Lunin seems to be a man in demand and his recent stint in Real Madrid’s goal on their run to the Champions League and the La Liga title has very much helped.

There is also interest from Arsenal and Man City for Lunin and the Real Madrid star has opened up on his future, as Premier League clubs circle.

The post 'Typical': Craig Burley shocked at Chelsea wanting to sign La Liga star Liverpool could target appeared first on HITC.