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With Antonio Conte’s career as Tottenham Hotspur manager having got off to an impressive start – picking up seven points from a possible nine in his first three Premier League fixtures – the 52-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping for yet another three points when Norwich City visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

However, while it has undoubtedly been less of a problem since the Italian’s arrival in North London, Spurs’ inability to put the ball in the back of the net has been a rather worrying issue for the club so far this season – with their 13 league goals scored ranking them as the joint third-worst attack in the league.

And, while it is has been well documented that Tottenham are in the market for a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, perhaps Conte already possesses a player whose introduction to the side could change Spurs’ fortunes in front of goal – in the shape of Tanguy Ndombele.

Conte must unleash Ndombele

While a performance against the lowest-ranked side in the UEFA Europa Conference League may not be the best barometer of a player’s creative and attacking capacity, particularly as it was a fixture that Tottenham ultimately lost, there was nevertheless clear evidence in the 2-1 defeat to NS Mura that the 24-year-old could well be the missing link between Spurs’ midfield and attack.

Indeed, over his 76 minutes on the pitch, Ndombele enjoyed 81 touches of the ball, made one key pass and completed five of his seven attempted dribbles, very much appearing to be the player who was most likely to make something happen for his side on the night.

The £40.5m-rated man also made one tackle, two interceptions, blocked one shot and won six of his nine attempted duels, proving that he is also not afraid to do the dirty work in the middle of the park.

His efforts saw the player who Jose Mourinho dubbed both “magnificent” and “phenomenal” earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.0, ranking him Tottenham’s second-best player to start the fixture.

As such, with bottom of the table Norwich City up next, now would very much appear to be the time to unleash the France international in the middle of the park, as the 24-year-old could well prove to help light the spark that is needed in front of goal for Spurs.

In other news: Huge blow: Spurs dealt injury setback ahead of Norwich clash, Conte will be gutted

Newcastle United failed to win in the Premier League for the 19th time this season as a late Joao Pedro goal for Watford denied the Magpies a vital three points in the hunt for survival on Saturday afternoon.

Eddie Howe’s side had taken the lead early in the second half as Allan Saint-Maximin scored his fifth goal of the campaign, but they couldn’t hold on for what would have been just their second league victory of the season.

It was Kieran Trippier’s first Premier League game for the Tyneside club after making his debut in the 1-0 FA Cup loss to Cambridge United last weekend, while it was Chris Wood’s debut for the club after his £25m move from relegation rivals Burnley during the week. Unfortunately for the New Zealand international, it was one to forget.

According to SofaScore, the 30-year-old lost possession 14 times whilst making just 35 touches as he struggled to get into the game, losing the ball once for every 2.5 touches. The £5.4m-rated striker also committed three fouls and didn’t manage to get a shot on target as Newcastle were once again frustrated.

Wood had netted three goals in 17 Premier League games for the Clarets this season prior to his move to Tyneside with a further 50 goals in 148 games after making the move to Turf Moor from Leeds United in August 2017.

Newcastle have the top flight’s fourth-worst goal return, having scored just 20 times in as many games. It’s certainly an area where they need to improve if they are to retain their Premier League status.

Moreover, losing points from winning positions in the manner that they did against the Hornets, particularly given that Claudio Ranieri’s side are also in the battle to avoid relegation, is a terrible habit which will need to be broken in order to ensure top-flight survival.

Wood will be heavily relied upon to start scoring, particularly with the absence of Callum Wilson who has scored six league goals this term but will miss eight weeks of action through injury. If that is to happen, though, the 30-year-old will need to improve on today’s tepid debut performance, which was the type of one which could cost Howe and Newcastle their Premier League status by the season’s end.

AND in other news, Newcastle are also eyeing a move for this player who’s been dubbed the “new Vidic”

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who made a combined total of 351 appearances for both West Ham and Newcastle United, has claimed it could be a good time for the Magpies to face the Hammers because of their long list of injuries.

By the end of West Ham’s 3-2 win against Leicester City, David Moyes had an injury list containing Declan Rice, Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio and Mark Noble, with the latter getting injured on his 400th appearance for the club.

After their 3-0 defeat against relegation rivals Brighton, Newcastle have reverted to a back three, something they have played frequently since returning back to the Premier League in 2017 and they are unbeaten since ditching the split striker system.

Speaking on why this could be a good time for Newcastle to face West Ham and how the Hammers still have players that can cause Newcastle problems, Lee told FFC:

“You would say it is a good time but it’s all momentum and confidence which West Ham seem to have at the moment and Jesse Lingard is on fire, but they have got players missing.

“They’ve got players that can come in and do well so it’s going to be a tough game. You can take it one way as they’ve got a few injuries so it’s a good time to play them, but don’t forget they’re going for the Champions League.”

Both sides will see it as a chance to move closer to their respective targets – a win could move Newcastle nine points clear of the relegation zone whereas a win for the Hammers would confirm their place in the top four for another week.

Steve Bruce has a big decision to make over whether or not both Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are fit enough to start, or if they will be given another cameo from the bench.

Tottenham Hotspur will make the trip from north to west London this evening to take on Brentford as Antonio Conte’s men look to strengthen their hold on a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Spurs are currently fourth but their place in the Champions League spots is feeble, with goal difference the only factor separating them and fifth-placed Arsenal.

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Having been dealt a setback last weekend when losing 1-0 to Brighton, Conte’s men can’t afford to slip up again against the Bees.

It is a must-win for the Lilywhites and so here is how Football FanCast believe Spurs will set up.

Tottenham XI: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Emerson, Sessegnon, Betancur, Hojbjerg, Kulusevski, Son, Kane (3-4-3)

In terms of formation, we expect Conte to stick with his preferred 3-4-3 set-up at the Brentford Community Stadium, with Sergio Reguilon dropping out of the XI in favour of the £58k-per-week Ryan Sessegnon.

The Spaniard returned to the starting lineup against the Seagulls having come on as a substitute the week before against Aston Villa, with Matt Doherty sustaining an injury that has since ruled the wing-back out for the remainder of the season.

However, it was a poor display from the 25-year-old who completed just 63% of his passes whilst failing to provide a single interception, clearance or block whilst making only one tackle.

Labelled as “pathetic” by journalist Tom Young, the £43m left-wing-back has featured in six of Spurs’ last seven matches having regained his place after Ryan Sessegnon sustained a hamstring injury.

The 21-year-old has since returned from his setback, making the bench for the north London outfit’s last two games and could be in contention for a return to the starting lineup.

Prior to his injury, the Englishman had arguably his best run of games in a Spurs shirt, featuring in seven out of eight matches from late January to early March.

Tottenham insider John Wenham was full of praise for Sessegnon after a 3-0 win over Norwich City, calling the wing-back “amazing.”

Conte will have to get his team selection spot on against Brentford with there being no more room for slip-ups with just six games to go.

AND in other news: Conte must finally unleash “absolutely fantastic” Spurs sensation, he’s a “big talent”

Fans of Southampton have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which relayed a report that claims Saints are interested in a summer swoop for Fernando Pacheco.

According to a recent report by Spanish outlet Gol Digital, both Southampton and Leeds United are keeping tabs on the Deportivo Alaves goalkeeper ahead of a potential summer move, with the La Liga side reported to be asking for a fee of around €10 million (£8.6 million) for the shot-stopper.

The report continues by stating that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side “would be willing to pay” the asking price of Alaves, however, that it is Leeds who are more in need of an addition to their goalkeeping department, as Marcelo Bielsa is looking to replace Kiko Casilla.

And, after Southampton Page relayed the report on Twitter, fans of Saints flocked to have their say on the matter, with some appearing delighted at the prospect of their club making a move for the 28-year-old, while others seemed to think the club have other priorities this summer.

So, what exactly did these Southampton fans have to say in reaction to the report regarding their interest in Fernando Pacheco?

“This would be sick.”

@sfcmaxx

“Would be a very good signing… but another club will definitely get him.”

@Danny1ngs

“Ayo yes.”

@sfcrxbbo_

“£8.5m, won’t happen. £8.50 is our budget.”

@stevebr27075195

“It’s about the only position we do have a bit of depth in.”

@fennzza

“I feel like we should be concentrating on other positions rather than spending £8.5m on a position that we have well covered.”

@shikarifan

“I know we should be focusing on other positions but for £8.5 million that’s an absolute steal IMO.”

@_majesticmaya

In other news: Southampton have enquired about this Premier League striker – find out more here!

Writing on Twitter, Fabrizio Romano has made an exciting Tottenham Hotspur contract claim involving Son Heung-min. 

The Lowdown: Son new deal?

Tottenham have been touted with offering a new deal to Son for quite some time, with reports emerging as far back as October last year.

At one point, it looked a certainty that the South Korea star would put pen to paper on an extension in north London, but financial worries caused by coronavirus delayed the process (Evening Standard).

Links then emerged to a possible move away for Son amid the contract saga, with European powerhouses Bayern Munich even said to be eyeing a move at one point.

The Latest: Romano lifts lid on exciting Son development…

Now, writing on Twitter, reliable journalist Romano has made an exciting claim involving the 28-year-old.

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Indeed, he believes that Son is ‘expected to sign soon’ and he is now ‘staying at Tottenham’ despite all the unrest surrounding superstar Harry Kane.

“Heung-min Son is expected to sign soon his new contract with Tottenham, negotiations going on since December and now all parties confident to complete the agreement,” Romano explained on social media.

“Son is staying at Tottenham, higher salary and new long-term agreement.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Spurs…

The threat of losing another star name alongside all the Kane links would have come as a worrying one for supporters, so this Romano claim comes as a big boost for Spurs.

Bar the Englishman, Son was arguably Tottenham’s player of the season over 2020/2021 – racking up 17 goals and 10 assists in 36 Premier League starts (WhoScored).

Tottenham keeping hold of Son will prove vital to their eventual new manager and any hopes of clinching silverware or qualifying for the Champions League next season.

It could also help convince other players to join the Lilywhites – a mass exodus of both superstars in Kane and Son would have potential transfer targets scratching their heads about the club’s future ambitions.

In other news: Spurs will now swoop for this £31.5m-valued ‘leader’ with Paratici calling, find out more here.

Steve Bruce can land Newcastle United’s new Salomon Rondon in VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who Fabrizio Romano claims is a target for the St James’ Park natives.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Give Me Sport, transfer guru Romano confirmed that Newcastle are one of several Premier League clubs currently tracking Kalajdzic’s situation at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

The Magpies were recently linked with a potential move for the 23-year-old by Tutto Juve, who cited Tyneside as well as Everton, RB Leipzig and Juventus as potential destinations for the striker dubbed the next Erling Haaland.

Stuttgart are reported to value Kalajdzic at between €20m and €25m (£17m-£21.5m) after the 6 ft 6 target man struck 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga games during his first year of German top-flight football to sit sixth in the scoring charts going into the international break.

Romano does not believe that Newcastle are currently leading the race for Kalajdzic’s signature, but expects opportunities to arise for the four-cap Austria international to test himself in the Premier League next season.

“I think yes, he has chances to join Premier League,” Romano said. “To be honest with you, I don’t know about the club because all the clubs you mention are scouting this player, he’s an amazing player.

“So, they are looking at him, like information about him, also what they say about the player and the potential. At the moment, there is still nothing advanced, but I think yes, he has chances to join the Premier League. A lot of clubs are looking at him.

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“So, he’s the typical opportunity and this kind of summer where we have after the pandemic, we are obviously in a difficult situation about economic and financial point of view. Having this kind of opportunity is interesting also for English clubs.

“So, I would say yes, I see him as a good opportunity in Premier League, but let’s see if they will pay what the club are asking. So, it’s still so long, but I think it’s an opportunity.”

Should Newcastle sign Stuttgart’s Kalajdzic?

Much can change between now and the end of the season but a move for Newcastle to sign Kalajdzic would appear somewhat unlikely, with Stuttgart valuing the forward in the region of £20m and United’s budget expected to be small – if there is any money with which to work.

However, Bruce should urge Toon owner Mike Ashley to fund a pursuit of Kalajdzic as the Stuttgart star can prove to be Newcastle’s new Rondon, who was named as United’s Player of the Year for the 2018/19 term during his season on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

Rondon won the hearts of Toon supporters during his year on Tyneside, and some fans have frequently shared hope on social media of the Venezuelan returning when opportunities have arisen.

The 31-year-old left a lasting impression having been highly influential under Rafa Benitez, with 11 goals and seven assists in 32 Premier League games including pivotal efforts against Bournemouth, Everton, Huddersfield, Watford and Manchester City. No player was involved in more goals for the Magpies than Rondon that season.

Kalajdzic has the potential to offer the same impact next term and in the years ahead, with Stuttgart not planning on offering the 23-year-old a new contract despite being their top scorer and helping fire the Baden-Wurttemberg club to ninth in the Bundesliga table.

The towering Austrian is tipped to explode in the near future and take his game to an even higher level too, despite Kalajdzic entering the international break on the back of scoring eight goals in as many top-flight games. That’s a run of form which Bruce would surely love for Newcastle.

Click here to see the full interview with Fabrizio Romano.

AND in other news, a “more than fantastic” 46-year-old is keen to replace Steve Bruce at Newcastle…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a torrid old season but fortunately, it looks as though the hierarchy have learnt from the error of their ways.Instead of signing depth last summer, Jeff Shi went out and focused his efforts on two landmark additions; Fabio Silva and Nelson Semedo.While the pair of them have managed to stay fit, the rest of the team has been pillaged with injuries that haven’t benefited their adaption time at Molineux.On the chalkboardNuno Santo has already admitted that Wolves neekd to plan better for next term and that means sorting out their recruitment swiftly.One player who could leave is Max Kilman. The centre-back was handed his first start since early February during the win over Brighton just over a week ago but he looks to have lost trust with the manager.Reports earlier this year stated that he’d be transfer listed this summer with Nuno having no room for the 23-year-old in his plans.You can understand why. The Old Gold currently have a number of promising defenders coming through the ranks with Dion Sanderson and Christian Marques waiting patiently in the wings.Van Dijk 2.0 inbound?Wolves have had a shoddy defence this season and thus, losing Kilman would not be a blow. He was part of a backline that kept just two clean sheets during a period of 14 league matches from October to January.That said, they will need to replace him in the squad.One way of doing so would be to lure Juventus centre-back Radu Dragusin to the Midlands.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-transfer-rumours-and-news-soumare-dias-dembele-marques-nuno-santo” title=”Read the latest Wolves transfer rumours and news!”]Wolves were linked with a move for the 19-year-old back in March with the Romanian’s contract set to expire this summer. He has since signed a new deal with Juve but he could still be available on a loan deal.Crystal Palace are chasing his signature on a temporary basis but Nuno should pursue him as well.This is a player who stands tall at 6 foot 3, combining the finesse of a modern-day centre-back with the brute force of days gone by.Compared to Virgil van Dijk for his positioning and confidence in possession, he’d fit right into Wolves with his aesthetically pleasing ball-playing abilities.Having trained alongside the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, Dragusin will have picked up some important tricks of the trade. After all, those names are three of the best centre-backs around.Speaking about the teenager this season, Andrea Pirlo commented: “He’s physically very strong. He’s very young and must develop on a technical level, but he will have time to do it, training every day with great champions.”With strong technical qualities and immense power, he is not only similar to the classy Van Dijk, but in terms of those already at Molineux, Dragusin is very comparable to Willy Boly.The Frenchman has been the perfect fit for Wolves, meaning the Romanian could also take to English football like a duck to water.AND in other news, Fewer touches than Patricio: Wolves gem who made just 14 passes majorly let Nuno down…

Celtic have been handed a Champions League qualifying boost, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s CL woes

The Hoops have struggled in Europe’s elite club competition in recent years.

They have failed to reach the group stages in the past three seasons, losing to AEK Athens, CFR Cluj and Ferencvaros at the qualifying stages.

Celtic’s loss to Ferencvaros last year was their earliest Champions League exit in 15 years, but despite finishing second in the Scottish Premiership this season, it seems as if they’ve been handed a boost in regards to qualifying this time around.

The Latest: Who Celtic could face?

Celtic will be seeded in the second and third qualifying rounds, with The Scottish Sun describing it as a massive boost.

Should they progress, the Hoops will dodge Shakhtar Donetsk, the third-placed French side – either Monaco or Lyon, and Portuguese giants Benfica.

They could still be paired with the likes of Genk, PSV Eindhoven or Spartak Moscow, but on paper, it seems an easier draw.

The Verdict: Good news for McKay and Howe?

You could argue that the likes of Genk, PSV Eindhoven and Spartak Moscow are much better sides than AEK Athens, CFR Cluj and Ferencvaros, who Celtic have failed to beat in previous years, but to us, this update should be good news for CEO Dominic McKay and possible new manager, Eddie Howe.

Howe has reportedly (talkSPORT) agreed to take over at Parkhead for the 2021/22 season and could well get his first taste of European action, should Celtic progress under his guidance.

If Celtic advance to the group stages, it would be worth around £14m, and each win in the group stage would also see them pocket £2.4m.

That could come in extremely handy when it comes to a Parkhead rebuild, and it seems as if the Hoops now have an easier route of qualifying over the coming months.

In other news: Celtic set for battle to keep ‘incredible’ ace as PL side plot bid over 4 times his market value, find out more here. 

Liverpool have received no bids for unwanted Reds pair Loris Karius and Sheyi Ojo, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: No future for duo

Jurgen Klopp has had a quiet summer window overall, only bringing in Ibrahima Konate and selling the likes of Gini Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Two players with no future at Liverpool are Karius and Ojo, with the former fourth in the goalkeeping pecking order and the latter not playing for the Reds’ first-team since the 2016/17 season.

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The Latest: Jones provides key update

Taking to Twitter on deadline day, Goal‘s Jones claimed that there have been ‘no developments’ regarding Karius and Ojo moving on.

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The Verdict: Sell them on, Reds

Neither Karius or Ojo have any kind of future at Anfield, so it is for their own good that they find a new club before the transfer window closes.

If not, they risk stagnating further at Liverpool and enjoying no first-team football, with Klopp highly unlikely to even play them in the domestic cups based on how little action they’ve seen in recent seasons.

Karius has never recovered from his 2018 Champions League final nightmare, while Oyo simply isn’t at the level required to be a handy squad player, spending time at Wigan Athletic, Wolves, Fulham, Reims, Rangers and Cardiff City in the past.

In other news, one Liverpool player could leave on deadline day – find out who it is here.