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According to The Telegraph, Daniel Levy remains interested in hiring Hansi Flick as the new Tottenham manager.

The Lowdown: Flick to leave Bayern

Despite having an 81% win percentage at Bayern (Transfermarkt), Flick will leave the club at the end of the season (dw.com) due to his tense relationship with sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic (france24.com).

He has been heavily linked with the vacant Germany job (si.com) but, as of yet, there has been no confirmation as to whether or not he will take over the role from Joachim Low.

The Latest: Levy eyes Flick

As such, Levy is said to be interested in convincing Flick to make the switch to north London, according to The Telegraph.

Reports have previously suggested that the 56-year-old would be interested in the position.

The Verdict: Few better

Flick has only been manager of the Bavarians for around 18 months, but he has achieved fantastic success during that period. Bayern have won seven trophies under his tutelage, including two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League trophy, while they have been on the losing side on just eight occasions in his 85 matches in charge.

He currently earns €312,300 (£269,000) per week at Bayern, which is a hefty sum. However, given his track record, he would surely be welcome at Tottenham even on a wage close to that. It now remains to be seen whether Levy is able to get his man.

In other news, this man’s Tottenham departure is reportedly “almost done”.

Danny Mills believes that Glasgow Rangers could sell either James Tavernier or Nathan Patterson this summer.

Gers could sell Tavernier

The Gers have two fantastic right-back talents in Tavernier and Patterson – unfortunately, Steven Gerrard is unable to fit both of them into the same line-up.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills believes that one of them could leave the club this summer. He explained:

“It’s a difficult one.

“Gareth Southgate did it when he put Kieran Tripper at wing-back and Kyle Walker in at centre-half that worked. It can be done, without question. 

“Can you afford to sell one and bring in another of quality that doesn’t affect your team’s dynamic and everything else?

“It’s always a balancing act. Who do you play where?

“It’s difficult because two of your better players play in the same position.

“It’s not like England where you’ve got so many right-backs where you’re pretty much covered in every other position. In those sorts of teams, you want to get your best players into the team.

“You have to be careful to not over complicate it. Sometimes you have to go ‘Right, we’ve got two really good players in that position. We might have to sell one to bring other players in.’

“That’s where your man-management and recruitment comes into play. We always talk about how important recruitment and forward-planning is.”

Difficult decision

If Mills is right, Gerrard and Ross Wilson will have a very difficult decision to make. Tavernier has arguably been the Gers’ best player this season – no player has more goals or assists for Rangers in 2020/21 despite him being a right-back (Transfermarkt). Patterson, meanwhile, has managed two goals himself and has impressed in the captain’s recent absence.

In the long run, Patterson is likely to be the first choice at right-back for years. As good as the £7.2m-valued Tavernier (Transfermarkt) has been, he is now 29 – at some point, he will no longer have any resale value for the 55-time Scottish champions. If one of the two has to leave, it should be Tavernier – but given that they will soon embark on a Champions League run, they would be better off keeping both of them for at least another season.

In other news, Rangers are in advanced talks to sign this striker.

According to L’Equipe (via Pink Un), Southampton are interested in Metz defender Boubakar Kouyate.

Saints eye Kouyate

It appears that the Saints are already planning ahead and they are said to be interested in the Mai centre-half prior to the summer transfer window.

They are not the only team eyeing him, though, with Norwich City, as well as Champions League-chasing Serie A duo AS Roma and Atalanta also said to be in pursuit. He is rated at £4.5m by Transfermarkt.

Bargain

So far this season, Kouyate has made 22 appearances in Ligue 1 for Metz. They have been one of the best teams in France from a defensive point of view, with only four sides shipping fewer goals than them (Sky Sports). The 24-year-old also has six caps for his country as his stock has risen.

Ralph Hasenhuttl recently said the Saints will be looking to sign players for £10m or less as they cannot afford to go higher – as such, Kouyate could come as a bargain.

It has been a difficult campaign for Southampton – they have conceded 58 goals in the Premier League, nine of which came in one game against Manchester United, meaning they have the second-worst defence in the top flight. The signing of Kouyate could provide the Saints’ backline with a welcome boost.

In other news, many Southampton fans slam these Hasenhuttl comments.

Reports by Torino Granata earlier this week have given West Ham United a huge boost in the race to sign Nikola Maksimovic, as Inter Milan are reluctant to meet the SSC Napoli defender’s demands over a potential summer transfer.

Maksimovic is set to leave the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium at the end of the season as chances of the Serbian signing a new contract with Gennaro Gattuso’s side are almost zero.

But Inter are growing slightly cold over a free transfer of the in-demand centre-back, as they feel his request of a €2.5m-a-season (£41.5k-p/w) contract is too much.

The Nerazzurri are also assessing alternative options to strengthen Antonio Conte’s backline in the off-season, with ex-Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi and Real Betis titan Aissa Mandi under consideration.

Inter are yet to completely withdraw from the race to sign Maksimovic and could schedule a new meeting with his agent, Fali Ramadani, having spoken with the £11m-rated enforcer’s representative recently.

But the San Siro natives’ cold feet has swung the door wide open for a rival suitor to swoop, with Maksimovic said to be on the radars of a host of European clubs including West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.

FC Porto, AS Roma and ACF Fiorentina are also listed as potential destinations for the 29-year-old, who recent reports in Spain had claimed was set to seal a summer move to the London Stadium as David Moyes is a big fan of the £38k-p/w enforcer.

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Rumours now emerging in Italy that Inter are getting cold feet over awarding Maksimovic a contract that would see him earn marginally more than the £40k-p/w the Irons currently pay summer free-agent Fabian Balbuena will be seen as a huge boost in Moyes’ pursuit.

Clearly, though, West Ham have hurdles in their way toward getting Maksimovic to sign on the dotted line, which David Sullivan should strive to overcome to afford Moyes the added senior depth he is claimed to be after.

The Hammers also pursued Maksimovic last summer but Sullivan and Moyes were denied the 25-cap international’s services, with talkSPORT claiming that a £14m offer was rejected and Calciomercato.it later suggesting Napoli snubbed an improved €25m (£21.5m) bid.

Sullivan and Moyes landing their man this year can see West Ham acquire a defender who has previously been compared with his compatriot Nemanja Vidic, as 6 ft 4 Maksimovic is a real powerhouse defender like the Manchester United great.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti also described Maksimovic as a “complete” defender who “has no problems” during his time in charge of Napoli, and may yet emerge as an another rival suitor after requesting information from Ramadani on his situation.

But with Balbuena seemingly on his way out of the London Stadium and Moyes said to want additional senior options alongside Angelo Ogbonna, Issa Diop and Craig Dawson – who the Irons have confirmed has triggered a £2m purchase clause – Sullivan should be putting a lot of effort into ensuring Maksimovic is wearing claret and blue next season.

AND in other news, West Ham dodged a £32m bullet in a 2017 deal dubbed a “real coup”…

Glasgow Rangers fans were delighted with Ianis Hagi’s display for Romania against North Macedonia during the international break.

The headlines have been dominated by Steven Davis this past week. He picked up his 125th cap for Northern Ireland against Italy, meaning he equalled Peter Shilton’s British appearance record in the process (The Scotsman). However, he is not the only Gers player to impress while representing their country.

Hagi didn’t start the match against North Macedonia, with him being brought on with 14 minutes remaining. That was enough time for him to have a big impact on the game, with the £5.4m-valued 22-year-old (Transfermarkt) scoring the winner as Romania picked up an important 3-2 victory as they look to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

The Gers’ official Twitter account congratulated Hagi for what was his first ever international goal (Transfermarkt), and the tweet attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Hagi below

“Great goal”

Credit: @RangersAssemble

“Chuffed for Hagi as I sometimes think he doubts himself, so this can only help his confidence going forward. We are lucky to have him”

Credit: @ArgyllWarrior

“Love to see great wee player”

Credit: @Mikey1872786

“Brilliant for hagi and his confidence, he’s just getting better an better”

Credit: @alfie_west_55

“Excellent. Well done Ianis”

Credit: @Trinityfishbar

“The best hagi”

Credit: @RFCMatt7

In other news, Rangers fans are far from happy with an update on this 34-year-old.

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Tammy Abraham could become one of Aston Villa’s key players should he join them this summer.

The England striker has slipped down the pecking order under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea and has been strongly linked away from Stamford Bridge in recent weeks.

Abraham is still the Blues’ top goalscorer having netted 12 times in all competitions but has scored just once under Tuchel and hasn’t started a Premier League game since February, with Timo Werner often preferred.

He’s been an unused substitute in each of Chelsea’s previous four Champions League matches, which has led to increased speculation surrounding his future.

Villa are one of several clubs interested in signing Abraham, who scored 26 times during their promotion-winning campaign two years ago.

And Bent told The Transfer Tavern that a return to the East Midlands would suit the 23-year-old frontman, although he also hinted at a possible move to West Ham:

“He spent a little bit of time at Villa and done quite well. But the price-tag they have put on his head is unbelievable for someone who isn’t playing.

“But again, those price-tags are getting thrown about everywhere. Of course, he wants to stay at Chelsea, but I think the best club for me would be Villa or West Ham.

“Villa, great stadium, great city and I think if he was to go there, he would be one of the key players for their stability and scoring goals. And that’s what players thrive on, and we know he can score a goal, he plays for his country, so Villa or West Ham for me.”

After tasting his first Premier League defeat as a manager against Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, Tottenham caretaker boss Ryan Mason will no doubt be searching for answers over the course of the week.

The Lilywhites looked second best all afternoon, mustering just three shots on target in the entire 90 minutes and eventually falling to a timid 3-1 defeat at Elland Road.

While Spurs’ star-studded attack failed to light up a wet and windy Yorkshire afternoon, it was Giovani Lo Celso’s performance in the middle of the park which surely raised the most eyebrows.

The Argentina international has become a regular starter in the opening weeks of Mason’s tenure as interim boss and was once again deployed in a much deeper role against Leeds.

However, the midfielder failed to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and was too often guilty of either misplacing easy passes or just running into a cul-de-sac – one particular moment in the second half saw him simply run the ball out of play while trying to dribble along the touchline.

As per Sofascore, he completed just one of his four attempted dribbles on the day, the worst of any Spurs player, managed no shots on goal and provided just one accurate cross. That sloppiness in possession was reflected by the fact he lost the ball on 19 separate occasions, the joint-most of any player in a Spurs shirt, while a measly 76% passing accuracy rate also told a story of his wastefulness.

In his post-match player ratings for The Independent, Andrew Gamble gave Lo Celso a five, saying: “Completely anonymous as he was dominated by Klich.”

The Spurs Web’s verdict on the Argentine was even more scathing, giving him a three with this assessment: “Lo Celso didn’t do enough to win the midfield battle off the ball today. Also misplaced so many key passes that could have led to goals.”

With just one goal and one assist in 17 Premier League games all season, Lo Celso has been rather poor in recent months, and it’s surely on Mason now to make a ruthless early call and drop him from the starting line-up.

With a talent like Tanguy Ndombele waiting in the wings, Spurs could give the Frenchman the chance to impress his new boss by taking Lo Celso out of the firing line.

In other news, this manager could restore shades of Pochettino if Spurs choose him as Mourinho’s successor.

Reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Koen Casteels is open to a move to the club…

What’s the word?

According to Sport Bild’s head of football Christian Falk, the Wolfsburg shot-stopper is enticed by the idea of swapping the Bundesliga for north London as he targets a spot in Belgium’s 2022 World Cup squad.

Spurs were first linked to the 28-year-old goalkeeper last month as the Daily Mail claimed the club were looking for cheaper alternatives to £30m-rated England international Nick Pope as they ramped up their search for a potential successor to Hugo Lloris.

It remains to be seen how much Casteels would cost Daniel Levy this summer, though CIES Football Observatory current value the 6 foot 6 giant at around €20m (£18m).

Sign him up

Lloris’ future in north London is by no means certain. He’ll enter the final year of his contract next season and has former boss Mauricio Pochettino keeping tabs on his situation over at Paris Saint-Germain.

Levy could well be inclined to cash in on the 34-year-old veteran before it’s too late. The French no.1 has also struggled for form this campaign, leading to pundits questioning his ability.

Speaking to talkSPORT following a 5-4 defeat to Everton in the FA Cup, Jason Cundy urged the club to move their captain on. “Lloris has got to move on,” he said. “He is a weak link. The Calvert-Lewin goal was embarrassing and I don’t think he fills that Tottenham defence with any confidence.”

[snack-amp-story url=https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-and-recent-gossip” title=”Read this week’s Spurs news, latest transfer rumours and more!]

Given the lack of funds available this summer, Casteels could certainly be a viable and bargain option to replace him, especially as he carries similar leadership qualities and is also their club captain.

After signing a contract extension in 2019, Wolfsburg director of sport Jorg Schmadtke heaped praise on the Belgian, he said: “Koen has developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world at VfL, and his quality and character are a huge support and a role model for the whole team.”

The one-cap international has enjoyed a pretty respectable season too, having kept 17 clean sheets in 32 appearances in all competitions, including impressive feats against Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach.

He’s let in only 27 goals too, which is better than Lloris’ season even despite Spurs ranking fourth in the Premier League for best defence. The long-serving goalkeeper has leaked a whopping 48 goals in all competitions, keeping just 12 clean sheets.

Casteels is sat behind some top Belgian keepers at the minute, but a move to the Premier League could certainly aid his credentials in what would be a crucial year ahead of the World Cup.

It could prove to be a mutually beneficial signing, so Levy must look to get this done this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs can’t risk another Noni Madueke situation with 20 y/o speed demon…

When Celtic finally announce who will sit in the Parkhead dugout next season, Bhoys supporters will surely breathe a huge sigh of relief.

After Neil Lennon left his role as manager the Hoops have found it incredibly difficult to find his successor.

That being said, they’ve not had any shortage of suitors.

What’s the word?

The first name to really emerge as a serious candidate to take on the role was Roy Keane.

The Manchester United legend had a brief stint as a player in Glasgow but after ten years away from management, it certainly raised eyebrows that he was in the frame.

Celtic were in talks with the Irishman and reportedly even held an interview with him. However, just a few days after that development it came to light that Keane was now unlikely to land the job.

Indeed, that’s what the television pundit is now telling his friends.

The Sun on Sunday (18.04.21, pg. 67) revealed last weekend that Keane has told friends that his hopes of landing the job have faded.

According to the report, there is a split opinion amongst the Hoops hierarchy over the former midfielder.

Good news

This is a piece of news that could come as a great source of happiness to Celtic supporters.

Of course, it means the Bhoys will have to step up their search elsewhere but it stops the board from appointing a man who the fans weren’t keen on seeing at Parkhead.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-howe-lampard-klimala-ajer-gossip” title= “Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

When the news first broke that he could succeed Lennon, Celtic podcaster Paul John Dykes said: “That seems to have gone down like a lead balloon amongst the Celtic support today when we were talking about that on A Celtic State of Mind.”

Thus, the opinion from the man himself that he won’t get the job should come as music to the ears of the Green Brigade.

It’s certainly understandable why they wouldn’t want him.

The 49-year-old hasn’t managed for the best part of ten years and his record is hardly jaw-dropping. He may have earned promotion from the Championship to the Premier League with Sunderland but that’s the only inspirational point of note from his days as a number 1.

Keane only won 42% of his matches while in charge of the Black Cats but his record was even worse with Ipswich. The Irishman won just 34.6% of the games he took charge of while at Portman Road.

Celtic might be in the process of being played around by Eddie Howe but they were right to swerve Keane.

AND in other news, Director of Football makes big Celtic manager claim, Desmond won’t be happy…

A number of Crystal Palace supporters have been reacting to a report on Frank Lampard, who has supposedly been sounded out by the Eagles as a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson.

That’s according to a report from the Metro, who claim that the former Chelsea boss is a contender to take over from Hodgson.

Hodgson is out of contract at the end of the season, with the 73-year-old admitting back in February that he is ‘undecided’ on his future at the club.

The Eagles have looked at Burnley’s Sean Dyche in the past, but it seems as if they have now turned their focus to the available Lampard.

Lampard has been out of work since January and has recently admitted he has had turned down multiple offers to return to the dugout.

Palace fans react to Lampard news

@cpfc_xtra shared the Metro’s report on social media on Wednesday morning, with a number of fans giving their thoughts.

These Eagles supporters were all happy with the update, with one describing it as ‘fantastic’.

“Get in”

Credit: @RoccoSeipel

“Trust me when I say european football is coming”

Credit: @BRL__18

“Fantastic”

Credit: @PaulofEpsom

“Frank Lampard’s red & blue army!”

Credit: @iancnoble

“Get Frank in and we’ll get Tammy Abraham off Chelsea. There’s our striker.”

Credit: @Wheddsta

“Anyone but Roy”

Credit: @NicksView92

In other news: Many CPFC fans buzz at club’s official Monday post, find out more here.