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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah, who is "pushing" to leave this summer, according to recent reports from Germany.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham have identified Leeds United's Robin Koch as a potential summer target, with it recently being reported the German could be available for a cut-price fee following his side's relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs are also plotting a fresh move for Villarreal's Pau Torres, having missed out on the centre-back last summer, but there may well be competition for the 26-year-old's signature, as Aston Villa have also been named as potential suitors.

Back in February, it was reported that the Lilywhites wanted to bring in two new centre-backs, and given that they showed little in the way of improvement defensively, conceding 63 goals last season, it would not be a surprise if multiple new defenders are signed.

Another player now emerging as a potential option for Tottenham is Tah, with BILD reporting that he fits the profile, but his release clause of €18m (£15.5m) will need to be paid before the beginning of July. (via Sport Witness)

The German is "pushing for a change" after spending eight years with Bayer Leverkusen, and his preferred destination is the Premier League, which could potentially open the door for a move to north London.

Spurs are interested in the 27-year-old, however, the signing mayy have to wait until chairman Daniel Levy appoints a new director of football and manager.

Should Tottenham sign Jonathan Tah?

Hailed as "excellent" by journalist Josh Bunting, the Hamburg-born defender has a wealth of experience playing in Europe, making 58 appearances across the Champions League and Europa League, and he rarely misses a game for Leverkusen.

Across the past two seasons, the defender has been absent for just two league games, highlighting his importance to the German side, and he ranked highly for some key defensive metrics in the Bundesliga last season.

The 6 foot 5 giant averaged 3.5 clearances per game, the highest number of any player in the Leverkusen squad, while an average of 1.2 interceptions places him third, and he also recorded the best pass-completion rate.

Given his level of experience playing in Europe, and his proven defensive aptitude, Tah could be a solid signing for Tottenham this summer, particularly considering he will cost just £15.5m, should the release clause be paid before the start of July.

Aston Villa are thought to be eyeing a move for Wolves goalkeeper Joe Sa, according to Football Insider.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

The Villans appear to be making a head start on their summer transfer plans, with Christian Purslow expecting a busy few months at Villa Park ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge.

Owners NSWE are ready to back Emery with a “huge” spending spree, where the club’s current transfer record could be smashed.

A number of players have already been linked with a move to the Midlands, and a new target has now emerged who is already based in the area with Wolves.

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Villa are monitoring Sa ahead of a possible move. The Portuguese ‘keeper is represented by Jorge Mendes, with the super-agent having strong links to Aston Villa.

Is Emiliano Martinez leaving Aston Villa?

Villa could be in the market for a new goalkeeper to come in for Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine reportedly wants to quit Villa this summer despite being under contract until 2027, as he is looking to fulfil his ambitions of playing at a higher level.

Chelsea and Manchester United have been named as possible destinations for the shot-stopper, which would leave Emery with just Robin Olsen as his only option for next season, with Jed Steer also set to leave when his contract expires.

Therefore, going after someone like Sa could be a smart move. He has never lost to Aston Villa in his four appearances and has two years of Premier League experience, making 10 more saves than Martinez this season.

He has also been hailed as "outstanding" by ex-Wolves man Andy Thompson after Sa won the Player of the Season award last year.

“It’s been tough with the way we played this year, but I think he was more than a worthy winner because of the amount of outstanding performances he had. His handling and the possession in his feet on the ball with his passing range, he’s been doing that all year.

“He’s been a bargain. He’s done a great job and I know he’s had a couple of erratic moments, but he’s been outstanding with the level he’s been playing at throughout the season. It was a tough position to come into because he had big shoes to fill in Rui Patricio, who was an outstanding keeper as well, so to fill that gap and then to go on in his first season the way he has, it’s been outstanding for him.”

It could be one to keep an eye on, but you’d expect any move would come as a result of Martinez leaving the club.

Ben Stokes was forced out of the England attack with a calf injury during the afternoon session at Old Trafford and may well have played his last Test cricket of the summer

George Dobell at Old Trafford25-Jul-2016Ben Stokes was forced out of the England attack with a calf injury during the afternoon session at Old Trafford and may well have played his last Test cricket of the summer.Stokes was two deliveries into his sixth over when he pulled up sharply having delivered the ball and was unable to stop a gentle push back past him from Younis Khan. He was unable to complete his over and limped off the pitch.An ECB spokesman confirmed the injury was to Stokes’ right calf and said he would not bowl again on the fourth day. That means the England attack has been reduced to four men as they attempt to bowl Pakistan out and level the series. Pakistan were 66 for 2 when Stokes left the field before the man who finished his over, Moeen Ali, struck twice.It was later confirmed that Stokes will be sent for an MRI scan on Tuesday. If he has sustained a torn calf muscle, rather than a strain, he could well be out of action for six weeks. The third Investec Test starts at Edgbaston on August 3; the fourth at The Oval on August 11.Stokes, who had earlier generated impressive pace and had Younis dropped at slip by Alastair Cook, was making his return to the Test team having sustained a knee injury earlier in the summer. He was forced off the pitch at Headingley and subsequently underwent surgery.

Journalist Keith Downie lauded Nick Pope's impact in Newcastle United's thrilling 2-2 draw away to Leeds United on Saturday lunchtime, as the two sides played out a memorable encounter.

How did Newcastle fare at Leeds?

The Magpies returned to Premier League action on Saturday, in what was a massive game for both sides, for very different reasons. Eddie Howe's men knew how vital three points would be in their push for a top-four finish, while Leeds are desperately battling to staying the division.

Newcastle made a nightmare start, falling behind to Luke Ayling's strike, but Patrick Bamford's missed penalty, which Pope saved expertly, saw the match turn on its head completely.

Just minutes later, Callum Willson equalised from the penalty spot after Alexander Isak was fouled, as the visitors took control of proceedings. Wilson's second spot-kick of the afternoon put Newcastle ahead, but Rasmus Kristensen equalised late in the day, in what ultimately proved to be two point droppsed by the Howe's team.

Was Downie impressed with Pope?

It was another good outing for Pope, who has enjoyed an excellent season in general, and Downie took to Twitter to laud his penalty save in the first half at Elland Road, as he made his presence felt:

"What a penalty save that could prove to be from Nick Pope. Newcastle haven’t started here, but the big keeper has kept his side in it with a brilliant stop from Bamford’s penalty."

There are so many players who have contributed positively to Newcastle's season, to Kieran Tripper and Sven Botman in defence to Isak and Wilson in attack, but Pope deserves enormous credit in his own right. He has been one of the standout goalkeepers in the Premier League, performing with great consistency since August, and he is surely pushing Jordan Pickford hard to be England's first-choice man between the sticks moving forward.

The great players stand tall in big games and the 31-year-old did exactly that against Leeds, getting the better of Bamford and not putting a foot wrong all game, with some of his decision-making outside the penalty area immaculate throughout.

Pope may not always receive the accolades that some others in his position do, from Alisson to Ederson, but he has been an outstanding signing, and if a top-four finish is achieved over the next few games, he will have played a major part in a fantastic season for Newcastle.

Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins is thought to be close to agreeing on a new deal in the Midlands, according to Football Insider.

What’s the latest Villa news on Watkins?

Watkins has enjoyed a purple patch of form in front of goal in recent months, playing a key role in the club’s unlikely late push for European football.

The 27-year-old has scored nine of his 12 Premier League goals in 2023, with those coming in the last 11 top-flight fixtures. That led to praise from Unai Emery, who admitted earlier this month that the forward deserved a new contract.

“He deserves to get a new contract, to extend the contract and to get more money. He is deserving. We want to keep him with us.

“We didn’t speak about it [a contract] because we are very happy with him. We are involved every day with our target in front, collectively and individually.”

It now looks as if talks are underway over a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in 2025.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an exciting update out of Villa Park regarding Watkins and a new deal. He revealed that ‘talks are progressing well and all parties are happy with the direction of discussions over a new deal’.

Emery reportedly wants to build his side around Watkins, who is happy in the Midlands, and the club will offer the striker a contract worth £100,000 a week as Villa aim to tie him down for the long term.

Do Villa need competition for Watkins?

Watkins appears to be a part of Emery’s long-term plans and is rightly first choice in attack at this moment in time. However, it looks as if a new attacking addition could be on the way over the coming months, with reporter Ashley Preece previously stating that ‘a new No.9 to partner Watkins is at the top of Villa's shopping list this summer’.

That could be a wise move by Emery and Villa despite Watkins’ fine form, with teenager Jhon Duran the only other centre-forward available at this moment in time. Another youngster in Cameron Archer is on loan with Middlesbrough, so adding a new senior striker to rival and potentially play alongside Watkins could help take Villa to the next level.

Villa have scored the fewest number of goals out of the Premier League’s top nine sides, which shows that it could be an area for improvement, despite Watkins’ impressive form this year.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta personally wants to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to reports.

Who are Arsenal linked with?

The Gunners and transfer chief Edu are thought to be planning for the 2023/2024 Premier League season already and reportedly have their eyes on a few transfer targets.

Reports in the last fortnight have suggested that Leicester City star Youri Tielemans is of interest as the midfielder's contract is set to expire at the end of this season. Indeed, central midfield is thought to be a top priority for the club, as West Ham star Declan Rice is repeatedly linked with a move to north London.

Brighton ace Moises Caicedo has been billed as an alternative to the Englishman with Barcelona star Raphinha also on Edu's list of potential signings. However, reinforcing the striker position is certainly not out of the question either, as rumours surrounding a possible move for Vlahovic are still prevalent.

The Serbia international is a player who Arsenal tried to sign from Fiorentina before he opted for his Turin move, yet according to an update by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arteta is still very keen on the idea.

According to the Italian news outlet, Arsenal are listed as a 'suitor' for Vlahovic after their attempts to prise him away from Fiorentina, with Arteta personally 'attracted' to his playing style. The Spaniard apparently believes there isn't a player like him in Arsenal's current squad, which is playing a role in Arteta's interest.

The north Londoners are also boosted in their chase for Vlahovic by their near-certain qualification for the Champions League next season. The report does state to 'keep an eye' on Chelsea, though, who are firmly in the race with Todd Boehly's backing.

Should Arsenal sign Vlahovic?

The 23-year-old has ten goal contributions to his name this season, scoring eight goals with a further two assists, which may not seem outstanding but Juventus on the whole have struggled this year. Vlahovic is still a bright spark in the forward areas when at his very best, averaging more attempts at goal per 90 than any other Juve player in Serie A this season (WhoScored).

Journalist Pete O'Rourke certainly believes he would be a good fit, recently stating to GiveMeSport:

"He's a proven striker; he's done really well in Serie A and also on the international scene as well, so that'd be a big-name signing and it would just continue to show the progress that Arsenal are making that they are actually able to make these types of signings."

If Arsenal can prise him away from Italy, he could be a brilliant capture.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to part ways with another Italian over the coming months, with Fabio Paratici's future remaining uncertain in N17.

What's the latest with Paratici?

The Italian director of football was set to be involved in a preliminary hearing into the scandal he has found himself involved in but it has been postponed until 10th May.

Paratici has already been handed a 30-month ban from working within Italian football, however, the 50-year-old could find himself on the end of a more severe ban from all football.

This latest setback in the court hearing has come just hours after the sacking of Antonio Conte, who Paratici has a long history of working alongside.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested a departure in the summer for the Italian could also be on the cards amid his issues off the field:

"I've said this before, there's a lot of people quite surprised at how involved he still is in matters. And that's people outside the club, and also some people inside the club.

"So, yeah, one to keep an eye on that one, whether something happens sooner rather than later as well."

Should Spurs part ways with Paratici?

The ongoing court hearing which heavily involves the Italian is the last thing Spurs need right now as they look to plan for the future.

On the back of hiring Jose Mourinho and Conte, Daniel Levy must have learned that short-term managers are not the way forward for Spurs.

With this in mind, a project manager appears to be the best potential option for Spurs as they look to find their next manager after the Italian's exit over the weekend.

However, having Paratici's future hang over the club is unlikely to benefit them in their managerial search, as it could leave potential candidates uncertain as to what they are getting themselves into.

There have been suggestions that the likes of Mauricio Pochettino would not be keen to work under a director of football, so in that sense, Paratici's possible exit could be a positive.

But it does raise the question of whether Levy has grown fond of the set-up which has a director of football involved at the club.

And if this is the case, Paratici's potential exit may not mean too much for managerial targets like Pochettino, as Levy could look to bring in a replacement for the Italian.

Now that Paratici's case has been set back until May, it leaves Spurs with the potential concern that his uncertain future within the game of football could hamper their plans for the summer.

So it will be interesting to see whether Spurs make a decision on his future before the court provides its final verdict.

Sean Dyche’s Everton kick off March by heading down to London to face league leaders Arsenal at The Emirates in the Premier League this evening.

The Toffees head into the match in the bottom three but could move out of the relegation zone, and above West Ham and Leeds, with a win tonight.

Everton were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa in their last outing in the top-flight as goals from Ollie Watkins from the penalty spot and Emi Buendia were enough to secure all three points for Unai Emery’s side at Goodison Park.

Dyche may now want to make some adjustments to his side after that defeat, in order to give his team the best possible chance of repeating their win over the Gunners earlier this year.

Should Ben Godfrey start for Everton against Arsenal?

One player who must be unleashed from the start is rarely-seen central defender Ben Godfrey, who missed 15 matches earlier this season due to injury, as the England international could be able to silence Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard.

Mikel Arteta lined up with a natural centre-forward in Eddie Nketiah when the two sides last met but opted to go with their January signing from Brighton through the middle in their recent win over Leicester – with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli either side of him.

This means that Arsenal could line up with a pacey front three of dynamic forward players, which could spell trouble for Conor Coady after his disappointing display against Villa.

The ex-Wolves captain was far too slow to move his feet as Buendia beat him with ease in the box and his lack of mobility could make Godfrey the perfect player to come in for him.

Journalists Patrick Boyland and Adam Jones have both hailed the former Norwich man as “absolutely rapid” and his pace at the back could allow him to deal with the threat of Trossard, Martinelli, and Saka in behind.

Godfrey, who has been an unused substitute in the last four matches, caught the eye in his last battle against the pacey Erling Haaland as he helped his side to pick up a 1-1 draw against Manchester City – limiting the Norway international to two shots, zero dribbles, and two duels won out of seven.

The £75k-per-week centre-back, who was once dubbed a “monster” by reporter James Whaling, has the athleticism and running power to deal with opposition attackers with quick feet and the pace to run in behind, which is the big threat that this new-look Arsenal frontline could pose.

Therefore, Dyche could silence Trossard through the middle of the pitch by ditching Coady and unleashing Godfrey in the starting line up tonight.

Manchester United are set to rival both Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to sign Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Striker shortage

Erik ten Hag only has just two senior centre-forward options on the books at Old Trafford at this moment in time, one of which is loanee Wout Weghorst. There is no option to make a move for Weghorst permanent in the summer, whereas Antony Martial has missed large parts of the season trough injury.

That has resulted in Marcus Rashford moving in from the left to a more central role from time to time, but the England international has been starring on the wing so the manager really needs to find a focal point for him to play off of.

The Latest: Martinez update

FI reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a story regarding Martinez in the last 48 hours, claiming that Martinez is on the wanted list at Old Trafford.

United look set to battle Chelsea and Arsenal for the World Cup winner, who ‘would be very keen on a potential move to the Premier League at the end of the season’.

O’Rourke added that a fee in the region of £70m-£80m would be enough for Martinez’s services.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Martinez has contributed to 120 goals in 212 appearances for Inter Milan and is still just 25 years of age, so you could argue that he is about to enter the peak years of his career. Lionel Messi has also hailed the player as “spectacular”, with Martinez contributing to 22 goals in 31 games during the current campaign.

He has been Inter’s best-performing player this season with a match average rating of 7.28/10, as per WhoScored, a score which outperforms every United player apart from Bruno Fernandes.

Therefore, you could say that Martinez and Fernandes could form a frightening duo in Manchester next season, with Rashford able to continue his fine form on the left-hand side, so hopefully, a transfer will gather pace over the coming months.

Presenter and YouTuber Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United for their lack of a clear plan amid a huge January splurge.

The Lowdown: Confusion at Elland Road

After two windows of very heavy spending for Leeds, it was a bizarre decision to then sack Jesse Marsch just a few days after the January window slammed shut and he had been allowed to have a say on three signings.

This was seemingly only the start of the mess at Leeds as Andrea Radrizzani insisted that the club had something lined up to be announced or well-known by Wednesday evening at the latest, but as many may have expected, nothing came of this empty promise.

Now fans are having to watch on as they fail to land their top target to replace Marsch in the form of Andoni Iraola, with Rayo Vallecano unwilling to lose the man who’s got them sitting in the top five of La Liga.

The Latest: There’s no plan at Leeds

McGilligan has slammed the hierarchy at Leeds for their decision-making and lack of planning despite spending a huge chunk of money while speaking on The Overlap.

He said: “The amount we’ve spent is very un-Leeds to spend that sort of money in January, so they’re panicking.

“The stakes are so high, but why go out and back him [Marsch] to the extent that we have in the January window – bringing in Weston McKennie with three days to go – and you’re sacking him. Where’s the plan there? That’s the worrying part, I think, from an ownership standpoint.”

The Verdict: Leeds can’t get this appointment wrong

This time last year, Victor Orta looked to hire a manager that could keep the club in the Premier League and also put his own stamp on the side to take them higher up in the division, but that Marsch experiment didn’t work.

Therefore, this appointment must be, first and foremost, about staying in the league and going for someone that has only ever managed in Spain and Cyprus such as Iraola, would be one huge gamble that Leeds don’t need to make.

Interestingly, Radrizzani appears to have revealed to McGilligan that the new manager will be announced sometime next week, which is ideal as they have two huge games coming up after Manchester United this weekend, as Leeds face relegation rivals Everton and Southampton in back-to-back games that could define their season.