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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Tottenham have failed in their attempts to sign Ajax’s Donny van de Beek, according to De Telegraaf, with the Dutch outlet describing it as a “futile attempt” to secure his signature.

The player himself has also stated he would prefer a move to Real Madrid, per the report.

What’s the latest?

The Netherlands international burst onto the European stage last season with a string of impressive performances and key goals in Ajax’s journey to the Champions League semi-final, and there is now no shortage of interest.

Real Madrid have targeted the midfielder since the summer but it is Spurs who have also emerged as a possible suitor, while Los Blancos are reportedly willing to pay €55m (£46m) to secure his services.

After selling key players such as Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong in the summer it is little surprise that Ajax are holding out for a high price, and that could be enough to deter further interest from the north London outfit.

Mourinho’s produced some incredible footballing stars – how much do you know about them?

Unnecessary addition

While the 22-year-old’s ability is clear to see, and evidence by interest from Real Madrid as well as his nomination for the 2019 Ballon d’Or, Spurs should still look elsewhere.

There are a plethora of attacking midfielders currently at the club and even if Christian Eriksen was to leave in January, there is no pressing need for a newcomer.https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x7mazsm

Dele Alli has look rejuvenated since Jose Mourinho came in and is looking more and more like his former self, with three goals and three assists in four games under the new boss.

That means he could once again be vital to Spurs, grabbing goals and assists from attacking midfield, so the last thing he would need is disruption to his game time or a signal that his manager can’t place all his trust in him.

As well as that, the signing of Giovani Lo Celso should also act as a concern. The summer signing has played just 257 minutes, mainly due to injury, but the fact he is yet to get up to speed should act as a warning sign over the Ajax star.

He only has experience of playing for one club in one league, and the pace of the Premier League may not suit his style.

As well as Alli, there are other attacking players coming into form, too, which adds to the idea that Spurs are already well-stocked in that area.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Victor Wanyama is poised to depart Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window, per Football Insider.

On the chalkboard

The Kenya international has struggled for game time at Spurs in recent seasons.

A litany of injuries robbed Wanyama of the dynamic physicality that made him such a brilliant presence in the 2016/17 season.

In that campaign, he played 36 times in the Premier League and was a genuine force in central midfield.

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Per WhoScored, he averaged 2.5 tackles per game, 1.1 interceptions, 1.9 clearances, 1.4 dribbles and a pass success rate of 87.5%.

This season, his sample size is simply too small but last term, he made 13 appearances and averaged one tackle per game, 0.5 interceptions, 0.7 clearances, 0.5 dribbles and a pass success rate of 81%.

In every single stat, he is markedly worse. The time has come for him to move on.

A victim

Unfortunately, this decline is not the 28-year-old’s fault.

He should be approaching his peak but the injuries he has been plagued with have dealt him a cruel hand – he has missed 47 games in total through knee injuries and cartilage damage.

If he is to depart, at least he could work under a new manager and earn the right to play his way into contention once again.

At Spurs, it feels like the ship may have sailed but there is nothing to say that he cannot resuscitate his career elsewhere.

A January move can be the first step towards that eventuality.

Meanwhile, one Spurs ace was terrible against Bayern Munich. 

According to The Mirror, Everton have completed their ambitious swoop to bring Carlo Ancelotti to the club, although his contract will be until 2023 rather than 2024, which has been reported by the likes of The Telegraph and The S*n.

The Mirror says that the Italian, who has signed an £11.5m-a-year deal at Goodison Park, is likely to be in the stands to watch their Premier League fixture against Arsenal this weekend, before officially starting in his new role on Monday.

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The report adds that majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri played a key role in convincing the experienced 60-year-old to be Marco Silva’s successor, and has given the former Premier League winner assurances about the Toffees’ ambitions and that transfer funds will be available for him to strengthen the squad.

Given they lie just three points above the top flight relegation zone given some of the fees they have splashed out on players in recent years, that boosting of the team looks to be much-needed.

With the transfer window set to open in less than a fortnight Ancelotti may already have some targets in mind, but before that he is on course to begin his reign against Burnley on Boxing Day.

In other Everton news, a report has suggested that the future of a high-profile Toffee could be under threat if Ancelotti is appointed…

Manchester United are ready to face Tottenham Hotspur away on Friday as the Premier League is set to restart this week.

The Red Devils are currently fifth in the table, four points clear of Spurs, who are now managed by former Old Trafford boss Jose Mourinho.

United have won the last two games between the teams, which could give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side an advantage as both sides must win in order to boost their hopes of a top four finish. Marcus Rashford, who is the club’s top scorer this season, bagged a brace in December to condemn Mourinho to his first defeat as Spurs’ head coach.

Earlier this week, the Premier League announced that Jonathan Moss will take charge of the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Moss qualified as a referee in 1998 and has often been on the receiving end from the Old Trafford faithful over the years. Indeed, he endured the wrath of supporters for his decisions during the match against Burnley last season (SportBible).

It is worth pointing out the Red Devils have lost three of their past five games Moss has refereed. He also handed Rashford a red card in the 2-0 win over the Clarets back in September 2018.

Unsurprisingly, many United fans slammed the “atrocious” decision, with one fan tweeting “Spurs W incoming” and another adding “we’ve lost then”.

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions so far…

United fans, do you think the Red Devils will beat Spurs? Let us know in the comments section below!

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Mark Warburton has said that the Ibrox outfit must give current boss Steven Gerrard the time, support and confidence he needs to close the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Warburton spent two years with the 54-time Scottish champions between 2015 and 2017. In his first campaign, he led the ‘Gers back to the Scottish Premiership whilst he also won the Challenge Cup. However, after the Glasgow side fell 19 points adrift of the top of the table by December, Warburton left Ibrox – although he controversially challenged the club’s announcement of his resignation, saying that wasn’t the case.

Speaking to the Daily Mail about Gerrard, the current QPR boss said:

“I think he has done a great job and I very much hope they keep on backing him. That’s what he needs because I’m sure the other side of Glasgow will be keen to push for the tenth. You really hope that Rangers do what they have to do to support Steven and stop it.

“Of course, there will be big pressure, but then Steven had almost 20 years as a world-class player dealing with pressure. He will understand the pressure, even with the different perspective of a manager. He knows what it takes to win big games of football.

“As I said, I think it is all about backing Steven. Give him the time, the support and the confidence any manager needs — no matter who you are.

“The likes of (Ianis) Hagi, you need that level of player to come to Ibrox. It’s a great theatre.”

As Warburton mentions, the ‘Gers have already made their mark in the transfer market, signing Ianis Hagi for £3m whilst also bringing in Calvin Bassey on a free transfer from Leicester City. However, that is unlikely to be enough – the ‘Gers were already 13 points behind Celtic with nine games left even with Hagi available since January.

Indeed, Gerrard needs time but he has already gone two years without a trophy. The ‘Gers are clearly the second best team in Scotland, as we have seen by their runner-up places in the last two years, so they should realistically be looking to win at least a cup competition next season. Anything else will surely be perceived as a failure.

‘Gers fans, do you agree with Warburton’s views on Gerrard? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

Borussia Dortmund have told Manchester United they have to sort out a deal for Jadon Sancho by August 10 if they wish to sign him in the summer. 

Recent reports have suggested Man United will not pay more than £50m for Sancho.

The two clubs are still poles apart on their valuations as Dortmund are demanding at least £100m for the winger.

United’s stance on Sancho has not changed despite Mason Greenwood’s emergence.

According to Bild, as per @utdreport, Dortmund see no reason to sell him for a cut price, and have now set a deadline for a deal to be completed.

The Bundesliga challengers start their pre-season training camp in Switzerland at the beginning of August and they want to find a resolution by then.

Sancho is still sceptical over whether or not a move to Old Trafford would be the right decision in the next step for his career.

Although he is open to a move, he is willing to wait and see if the Red Devils will reach the Champions League before he signs a contract.

Unsurprisingly, loads of United fans blasted “the German Spurs” as the news emerged, with one supporter lamenting there is “no way” Ed Woodward gets a deal over the line in time, while another added Sancho is “overpriced.” This is perhaps rather unfair as he is the club’s top scorer this season.

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions so far…

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward should splash the cash to sign Jadon Sancho in the summer? Let us know down below!

Chelsea could be edging closer to signing Kai Havertz as Antonio Rudiger plays agent yet again.

According to Christian Falk, the German international is reportedly trying to convince the Bayer Leverkusen star to make the move to Stamford Bridge this summer (via Sport Witness).

Havertz has been linked to plenty of clubs ahead of next season after his impressive run in the Bundesliga. The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in the German top flight this campaign and found the back of the net 17 times across all competitions, contributing a further nine assists (via Transfermarkt).

Chelsea have been named as the favourites to acquire the services of the playmaker as they are perhaps the only club in the position to fork out for his hefty £90m price tag. Havertz also recently told Leverkusen that he wanted to leave the club, which could reveal that a London move on the cards (via Daily Star).

After Chelsea announced the signing of Timo Werner, Rudiger admitted he played a part in his transfer. According to SportBild (via Daily Mail), he helped facilitate the move by talking up the club and ultimately convincing his Germany teammate to join.

With reports claiming that the defender is doing the same thing with fellow German Havertz, recent history could be about to repeat itself.

With the huge buzz around a Chelsea move, it’s no secret that Frank Lampard and co are keen to see the midfielder sign a deal. If Rudiger can convince yet another star to join the Stamford Bridge ranks, he could have an agency job waiting for him once he retires from his playing career.

Do you think Rudiger can convince Havertz to join Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!

The Gunners set their sites on a top-four spot at the start of the season – a goal that seemed realistic enough to achieve given the club reaching the Europa League final last season as well as finishing just one point from the top four last time out.

The plan didn’t quite go as hoped, however, with Spaniard Unai Emery being sacked towards the end of November after a string of disappointing results. The Gunners would soon appoint former player Mikel Arteta, and things began to change for the better.

A strong push towards the end of the season, along with beating champions Liverpool in the league and seeing off Manchester City to reach the FA Cup final. The latter would turn out to be the biggest win, as the club went on to win the FA Cup for a record 14th time against bitter rivals Chelsea.

But with all the ups and downs, how much can you remember about the club’s 2019/20 season?

According to reports, Chelsea are set to beat Tottenham to the signing of Brighton captain Lewis Dunk.

What’s the word?

Having seen Jan Vertonghen leave the club following the end of his contract, and Juan Foyth’s long-term future at the club remaining uncertain, Spurs may have a gap to fill in the centre of defence.

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However, The Sun claim that despite Spurs’ interest in Dunk, their London rivals Chelsea are closing in on a £40m move for the centre-back. The report adds that the England international is a lifelong Blues fan and “believes he is on his way to Stamford Bridge”.

A major Daniel Levy mistake

Despite not playing for one of the Premier League’s traditional big-six sides, Dunk has proven at Brighton that he is among the better defenders in the division.

As per Sofascore, as well as making 1.5 interceptions and 1.1 interceptions per game, the 6 foot 4 powerhouse is a formidable presence when contesting those 50/50 challenges. On the ground, his success rate is at 62%, whilst this jumps to 66% in battles contested in the air.

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And as Brighton captain, Dunk has had to be the figurehead for the Seagulls on the pitch, something his teammate Shane Duffy has been quick to point out. He said: “He’s a great leader, a great example for everyone for the club and a lot of the players look up to him here. He realises that.”

Duffy added: “Brighton fans probably don’t want to hear it but he’s destined for big things. It’s only up to him if he wants to go to the very, very top.”

With Spurs losing the experience of Vertonghen, and potentially seeing Foyth walk out the exit door too, bringing in someone of Dunk’s Premier League-proven quality would be massive. Instead, Daniel Levy appears to be watching a summer target of his join one of the north London side’s closest rivals. It’s a double blow for Jose Mourinho, and one that could cause major consequences for next season’s battle for the top four.

As Tottenham complete the signing of Joe Hart on a free transfer after numerous reports, the acquisition of a 75-cap international would usually have supporters excited – and the keeper’s pedigree on a free deal should have certainly warranted positive reviews. 

Hart, who has been without a club since leaving Burnley in June after the Clarets opted against renewing his contract, was desperately on the hunt for a new team over the summer – even appealing to potential suitors in a candid interview with BBC Sport. 

Now, after the shot-stopping titan urged clubs to ‘believe’ in his abilities, Spurs have jumped forward with an offer to take Hart on their payroll – with the Englishman set to become a back-up to Hugo Lloris.

After signing for Man City from Shrewsbury Town in a deal worth £600,000 back in 2006, Hart went on to become one of the Sky Blues’ bargains of the decade – starring in-between the sticks and winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup and a Community Shield during the dawn of the Sheikh Mansour era.

However, Pep Guardiola’s appointment also brought the need for a sweeper keeper, resulting in Hart being axed from the squad and sent out on dismal loan spells to Torino and West Ham.

Sean Dyche’s Burnley managed to snap up Hart, but it was a short-lived career in Lancashire, with Spurs now opting to give the keeper a chance as Lloris’ understudy.

While the 33-year-old has had a tough time of late, his trophy-winning pedigree and experience on the biggest stages should have supporters buzzing over this free transfer. He was even once called ‘phenomenal’ by Lionel Messi (Sky Sports).

A seasoned international who has seemingly done it all, Spurs and Daniel Levy could do far worse and everything points to this piece of business being something of a masterclass from the head honcho.

Spurs fans, are you happy with signing Hart on a free deal? Join the discussion by commenting below…