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Former Tottenham Hotspur ace Paul Stewart believes that whoever becomes the club’s next manager will need to spend over £200m rebuilding their defence.

Spurs are still in the market for a new boss following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in the 2020/21 season.

Various managers have been linked, foremost among them the former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, while Antonio Conte and Erik Ten Hag are also said to be in the running.

However, whomever joins the club will have to oversee their recruitment in the summer transfer window, and Stewart believes that there will have to be plenty of cash spent on the backline if it is to improve.

Indeed, Spurs finished the season in seventh place, conceding 45 goals, a number higher than the entirety of the top four.

As a result, Stewart believes that investment is much needed when the transfer window opens, regardless of who is sitting in the dugout.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I think he’ll need more than that, he’ll need a couple of hundred million on top, because for them to compete again, they’ve got a lot of areas that they’ve got to look at.

“One of the major areas for me is the defence, and there’s two hundred million if you want a back four or a back three that can compete in the Premier League.”

According to a West Ham source from Football Insider, the Hammers and GSB are now readying an approach to sign West Bromwich Albion goalkeeping colossus Sam Johnstone. 

The Lowdown: Johnstone linked with Hammers

As West Brom are confirmed to be relegated from the Premier League, Johnstone’s future at the Hawthorns has been the centre of much speculation.

A recent report from the Mirror emphatically claimed that the Baggies are set to sell the 28-year-old amid the financial turmoil which comes with dropping down to the Championship.

ESPN said last week that the Irons are favourites to sign him this summer and are prepared to offer him regular football.

The Latest: GSB readying approach…

Bringing the latest, Football Insider report that West Ham are now readying an approach to sign Johnstone with a West Ham source explaining that GSB have set their sights on him.

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Indeed, as per this report, the Irons are planning to make enquires into the 6 foot 3 shot stopper – with West Brom’s relegation coming as a boost in their bid to land Johnstone.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Lauded as West Brom’s ‘outstanding’ player by Kevin Phillips (West Brom News), his form over 2020/2021 has also attracted attention from England boss Gareth Southgate.

The Three Lions manager handed Johnstone his first international call up due to his impressive performances at the Hawthorns this season, leaving little wonder why West Ham are now readying a move.

Given current first choice keeper Lukasz Fabianski is now 36-years-old, despite the club recently handing him a one-year extension, West Ham arguably need to find his successor as soon as possible – and Johnstone comes as a really great option with time on his side.

In other news: ‘Better than Lingard’…West Ham fans flock to alleged GSB transfer plan, find out more here.

Darren Moore has dropped an update on his plans for Sheffield Wednesday ahead of their League One campaign next season.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with the Sheffield Star, the 47-year-old suggested that he will be looking to utilise the Owls’ academy ahead of their upcoming jaunt in the third tier of English football.

The report claims that, at present, Wednesday barely scrape double figures in terms of their playing staff following the release of a number of first-team regulars, including the likes of Kadeem Harris, Elias Kachunga, Tom Lees, Moses Odubajo, Joey Pelupessy, Adam Reach, Jordan Rhodes and Keiren Westwood.

However, rather than replacing the outgoing players in the transfer market, Moore seems intent on fielding a number of youth prospects to fill the gaps in his squad.

He said: “Any young player, certainly at the professional development phase in the U18s and U23s, should come back with a whetted appetite in feeling that if ever they have got a chance of stepping into the first-team here at Sheffield Wednesday it is now… I believe in youth and I believe there is a lot of good young players.

“Pre-season will be key for them. It will be hard but there will be opportunities for them to show what they are about. If they do show it, the platform will be there for them to perform.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Moore’s hand could well have been forced in this matter, as Sheffield Wednesday’s ongoing financial troubles under the leadership of Dejphon Chansiri are likely to result in an extremely limited transfer budget this summer, the news that the 47-year-old is prepared to give youth a chance next season will undoubtedly have fans of the club buzzing.

With a recent history of grossly overpaying on transfers fees and awarding contracts on extremely inflated wages, the news that Moore will not be looking to follow this approach is fantastic news for the club, both financially and on the pitch.

By placing his trust in the club’s academy prospects, the Sheffield Wednesday manager will be gaining a number of players who will be desperate to impress, either in order to secure a move elsewhere or simply to kickstart their footballing career, as well as ones who will work tirelessly to maintain their place in the Owls’ starting XI.

And, by exposing the youngsters to first-team football on a regular basis, their chances of developing as footballers will dramatically improve – something that has the potential to leave the club with a number of valuable assets on their hands come the end of the season.

Furthermore, in using academy products instead of spending money on transfer fees and big wages for more experienced players, Wednesday will also find themselves climbing out of their financial troubles at a much faster rate.

As such, Moore’s comments regarding his plans for next season could easily be viewed in the first step in the right direction for Wednesday, something that has been a long time coming.

In other news: Nixon drops worrying Chansiri update that will surely outrage Sheffield Wednesday fans – opinion

Aston Villa will look to re-sign Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe this summer.

That’s according to a report from Football Insider, who claimed that the Midlands club have made the 23-year-old one of their top targets for the summer window.

Tuanzebe, who made 35 appearances for Villa during two separate loan spells, is thought to be valued at around £7m by the Red Devils. He is on £38,000 per week at Old Trafford and has 12 months remaining on his deal, although United do have the option to extend it until 2023 next summer.

Football Insider have been informed by a Villa source that Tuanzebe ‘fits the profile the recruitment team are seeking’ – an interesting inside eight-word update.

Transfer Tavern take

To us, bringing in Tuanzebe – who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently called ‘outstanding’ – for £7m could be a brilliant piece of business. He played a key role in Villa’s promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and could provide strong competition to first-choice pairing Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings.

Both Konsa and Mings have been ever-presents under Dean Smith this season, but should one get injured, Villa don’t exactly have the proven quality to come in for them. Reports have suggested that Villa are planning to offload Bjorn Engels this summer, and should that be the case, that would leave Smith with just Kortney Hause as cover for Konsa and Mings.

Therefore, adding Tuanzebe to the defensive ranks on a permanent basis may prove to be an excellent move in the long run.

In other news: Villa lining up huge bid for another Premier League ace, find out more here.  

Almost identical to David Beckham, former defender Paul Parker grew up in east London before going on to represent both Manchester United and England in what proved a glistening playing career.

Parker made his name at Fulham before his impressive stint with rivals Queens Park Rangers caught the attention of the Red Devils, where he went on to win four major trophies, including the first two Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson.

But more than 23 years after his retirement, Parker is set to swap the pitch for the pond when he participates in a new finishing programme called Angling Outlaws, which will be aired on BT Sport next year.

We spoke exclusively to the 57-year-old about several different subjects within football…

Where do you rank both Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in terms of Premier League full-backs?

“If you’re looking at a pairing, then you have to say they may be the best in the league at this moment in time on current form. Luke Shaw, this season, has shown the reasons why he should be a Manchester United player. He was starting to show that before and then got injured but he got no help from the previous manager.”

Are you surprised that Donny van de Beek has played so little?

“He should have got a load of time. He hasn’t been given an opportunity; I think it’s wrong. I don’t know why United play two holding midfielders at home. When you look at what United are about attacking wise, they’re playing with one attacking player.

“He does work well with Fernandes, he works well with Cavani, he works well with Mata, but he hasn’t been given the opportunity. He should be starting games with Fernandes, Pogba and Cavani. He’s played in big games; he’s played in a Champions League semi-final. I think he’s been let down in certain ways and should have been managed better.”

Is Michail Antonio good enough to be West Ham’s first-choice striker next season?

“Personally I think they’re going to have to get another striker in. Antonio has done incredible, he went through a stage in the season where he deserved fans in the stadium, because he started this run.

“He’s done wonders with them, his performance at Wolves when he did his hamstring, that’s the best his all-round game has been. He made one of the goals, made such an unselfish run for Lingard. He’s learned how to play that role.”

How do you assess your cousin Ben Johnson’s season?

“He hasn’t let himself down. He’s started in big games. He made his debut at Man City; he’s played at Old Trafford twice this season and he’s done well. He’s feeling more and more confident. He’s done himself justice, but I’m sure he will get to a certain point where he wants to become a regular.”

Would you like to see QPR sign Charlie Austin permanently?

“The easiest thing to say if you always look to have experience through the middle. I look at when he left QPR, he went to Southampton and West Brom on Premier League money. He would have to take a massive drop in money. I think they could go out and get a younger striker which would balance the books rather than put everything into one player.”

Have you ever fished before?

“As an 11/12-year-old, I did. I have been out once so far; I went out in a place in Essex and caught an oversized goldfish. It was a goldfish in steroids. It still hasn’t caught me, it’s not fast and furious, I wouldn’t say I was rushing to get back. I’m not a big fan of touching fish, it makes me want to wash my hands.”

Do you know Frank McAvennie, Ray Houghton or Tony Gale?

“I know all of them quite well. I know Frank from playing against him – I made my top-level debut playing against Frank for Rangers against West Ham and I have played a lot of ex-pro games against him. The other two I know well because we were at Fulham together. We signed Ray Houghton on a free transfer from West Ham – maybe the best free transfer of all time, his career will tell you that. Tony Gale, I have known since I was 14 as a kid to when I was an apprentice and I used to clean his boots.”

Paul Parker will be joining Ray Houghton, Tony Gale and Frank McAvennie on BT Sport’s Angling Outlaws, next summer.

With the help of Outlaw Pro, the four former pros will be trying their hand at fishing, with the quadruplet facing off at the end of the six-part series to see who knows their slide tackles from their tackle boxes.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer has suggested that Keiren Westwood is having a negative influence in the dressing room at Hillsborough.

Westwood, who joined Wednesday back in 2014, has been a good servant for the club. Since arriving after his release from Sunderland, he has gone on to make close to 200 appearances for the Owls.

However, the 36-year-old goalkeeper’s contract expires at the end of the season, meaning his time at Wednesday could be coming to an end.

For Palmer, though, it may not necessarily be a bad thing, with the retired England international telling FFC he has not always received positive reviews about the player from those at the club.

“From what I’ve heard previously, and especially under the managers that I know that have managed there like Garry Monk, I don’t hear good things about Keiren in the dressing room, I really don’t,” Palmer revealed.

“He might be one of those that, you know, you need to move on. If you’re going to have a successful football club, you’ve got to have a good team spirit. You’ve got to have everybody singing from the same hymn sheet.”

Going into more detail, the ex-Wednesday player added:

“If somebody is unhappy about a little thing, it now becomes a big thing because somebody’s unhappy about something for them and spreads it and then he talks and then that goes into the dressing room. And I believe too much of that’s happened at Sheffield Wednesday.

“And I think Keiren’s been a big part of what’s gone on there, that’s what I’ve heard. So I wouldn’t be rushing to tie him down at this moment in time.”

Next up for Westwood and Wednesday is a tough clash against 2nd-placed Watford when the Championship returns.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp must surely be relieved with the news that Eden Hazard is not available for the Reds’ UEFA Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The Merseysiders welcome Los Blancos to Anfield for the second-leg of their quarter-final meeting, which they will go into 3-1 behind on aggregate after the first-leg in Spain. However, Hazard will not be one of those to take to the pitch, with the Belgian not included in the Spaniards’ travelling squad with a reported ankle injury.

His absence will be a huge boost to the Reds’ chances of progression.

Before his move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Hazard proved to be a constant thorn in Liverpool’s side.

The Belgian has thus far made 18 career appearances against the Reds with both of his former clubs Chelsea and Lille OSC and scored on seven occasions, providing a further two assists.

As a matter of fact, the now £36m-rated midfielder has not scored more goals throughout his career past any other opponent.

Even more worryingly, in matches where Hazard had provided a goal or an assist, a total of eight games, the Reds have not managed to win a single one.

One wonderful contribution that comes to mind straight away when considering Hazard coming up against Liverpool is his wonderful goal in the 2-1 Carabao Cup victory for Chelsea at Anfield in 2018 – a strike that led current Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp to label him as “special”.

So, whilst Hazard has not yet hit the heights expected of him in Madrid, having scored just four goals in all competitions – ironically fewer than he has netted against Liverpool in his entire career – that previous record would certainly have been a concern.

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Nevertheless, with Hazard now ruled out, Liverpool can relax in the sense that he will certainly not be having another starring role at Anfield as the Reds attempt to overturn their first-leg deficit, although Madrid showed in the first leg that they still have more than enough firepower to cause the Reds some big problems.

AND in more news, remind yourself of a dreadful sale completed by the Reds in 2016…

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic explained his decision to take Glasgow Rangers’ Borna Barisic off against Slovenia on Wednesday.

Dalic criticises Barisic

Barisic was named in the starting XI for the Balkan side in their first 2022 World Cup qualifier – they reached the final in the tournament’s last edition in Russia.

However, he was hauled off after just 45 minutes as he was in danger of picking up a red card. Dalic revealed (via 24sata.hr):

“Borna received a yellow card early, then committed a foul on the edge of the red card. I was looking for more penetration on the left flank, so I transferred Perišić to the left back and introduced Oršić to the wing.”

Harsh

Indeed, the £4.95m-valued 28-year-old (Transfermarkt) was on the edge of being dismissed against Slovenia and really gave Dalic no choice but to take him off. He must do more to make sure he does not put himself in such positions, especially so early on in the match.

However, his overall display was not that bad. He won two of his three duels, landed 86% of his passes and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles (SofaScore). Still, if he wants to play for Croatia both at the European Championships this summer and beyond, he must improve. After all, he has started just four of his nation’s last 10 matches (Transfermarkt) as Dalic appears to be exploring other options.

In other news, this Rangers man’s performance against Celtic has been hammered.

Gareth Southgate has admitted Jordan Henderson faces a race against time to even be fit for England’s Euro 2020 campaign this summer.

The Liverpool captain has been absent since the 1-0 defeat at home to Everton last month, having limped off with a groin problem, with a return originally expected some time in April (Sky Sports).

Henderson underwent surgery on the issue, but his return to action is still a way off and he isn’t expected to face Real Madrid in either leg of the Reds’ Champions League quarter-final tie.

It means the 30-year-old will likely only return for the final weeks of this season at best, meaning he may not even be match-fit enough to play at the Euros.

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Henderson faces race to be fit for Euro 2020

Speaking to reporters [via the Liverpool Echo], England manager Southgate hinted that Henderson will need to prove his fitness in order to make the squad:

“In terms of promises, we can only say that Hendo himself is very optimistic about how the operation went and the prognosis that the specialist has given him as to what is possible,” Southgate said.

“We are conscious that with any injury of that nature, there is a guide and a time defined – but that anything can happen along the way.

“We know it’s going to be close to the end of the season and we will just have to see how it goes.

“He will give himself every chance of being available. And, of course, we also know he is likely to be a bit short of match minutes in high-level games.

“There are a lot of things to take into consideration but, at the moment, that is a decision that is a few weeks away.”

Transfer Tavern take

Missing the Euros would be an enormous blow for Henderson, who at 30, may not have many more chances to impress at a major tournament.

Given his standing as vice-captain in the current England squad, he will surely start if he is fit, but the next month or so could be crucial, in that respect.

It appears this is yet more bad injury news for Liverpool, given that the original prognosis for the skipper was that he would be back in April (Sky Sports).

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to yet another injury blow for the Reds. Read about it here.

Celtic legend Charlie Nicholas has urged the club to ‘show a bit of ambition’ in their search for Neil Lennon’s replacement, suggesting that Xavi should be on the shortlist.

Lennon tendered his resignation last week with the club’s title defence in disarray, leaving John Kennedy to take the reins until the end of the season.

Nicholas underwhelmed by early favourites Maresca and Clarke

Former West Ham assistant Enzo Maresca and Scotland boss Steve Clarke are the current favourites for the full-time job at Parkhead, but Nicholas reckons they should be aiming instead for iconic figures.

Spain legend Xavi, who left FC Barcelona with more than 750 appearances and 27 major honours under his belt (via Transfermarkt), is currently in charge at Qatari side Al Sadd.

The Catalan giants are said to be keen for Xavi to take over from Ronald Koeman in the near future (via ESPN).

Kompany, Alonso also tipped

Nicholas has high-profile alternatives in mind if Xavi makes a swift return to the Camp Nou instead.

“Celtic should be speaking to the agents of Xavi, Vincent Kompany and Xabi Alonso to gauge their interest in the job,” he wrote in his Daily Express column (via Glasgow Live).

“I just want the club to ask the question and show a bit of ambition. If they don’t they will appoint someone like Roy Keane or Steve Clarke.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

Xavi is destined for Barca and may not have time to stop at Parkhead along the way – the emphatic 4-1 Champions League defeat to PSG added to the sense that Koeman’s days are numbered.

But in principle, Nicholas is still hitting the right notes. Celtic must appoint a manager befitting of their stature, as Rangers have done with Steven Gerrard.