Ange Postecoglou has drafted a contingency plan should one of his defenders leave, while a Socceroos defender could find himself nudged out of the starting squad.
Catch up on all of the biggest transfer whispers in the latest edition of the Rumour Mill!
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ANGE’S $64M CONTINGENCY PLAN REVEALED AS STAR NEARS EXIT
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou is wasting little time in preparing for the rumoured exit of Emerson Royal, with a Monaco defender lined up as his replacement.
The Spurs right back has attracted plenty of interest from Italian giants AC Milan, who are in the market for a right-sided defender.
Should Emerson make the move, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reports Tottenham are keen on Monaco’s Vanderson.
However, Romano claims the deal won’t exactly be straightforward given Monaco have slapped a $AUD64 million price tag on the 22-year-old.
It would be a large outlay on a back-up defender given Pedro Porro is Postecoglou’s first-choice right back.
Vanderson began the season operating as a right midfielder but found himself in defence for six of Monaco’s final eight Ligue 1 games this season.
RED DEVILS PONDER PROMISING DUTCH STAR
Manchester United are pondering whether to meet the $64m release clause of Dutch international Joshua Zirkzee as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster his attacking options.
Sky Sports reports the Red Devils are keen on Zirkzee but have not made a final decision on a pursuit of the forward.
However, the report claims the release clause figure isn’t expected to be an issue should United’s transfer committee decide to green light the deal.
Zirkzee is coming off one of his best seasons to date as his 11 goals and five assists helped fire Bologna to an unexpected Champions League birth.
The 23-year-old was previously on the books at Bayern Munich before he moved to Bologna in 2022 for just $13 million.
SOCCEROO’S SPOT UNDER THREAT AS PL NEWBIES EYE DEFENDER
Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess could find his place in Ipswich Town’s starting lineup under threat as a Hull City defender has emerged as the club’s transfer priority.
Burgess, a centre back, started in 38 of the Trotters’ 46 Championship games last season and played a key role in lifting the club to the Premier League.
However, the news of Ipswich making Hull’s Jacob Greaves their top target this summer could leave the Aussie out in the cold.
The Telegraph claims Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is a big fan of Greaves, but the newly-promoted side may have to fend off Everton in the battle for his signature.
CHELSEA’S STRIKER SEARCH HITS A SPEED BUMP
Chelsea’s search for a new striker has hit a speed bump after a bid for a 20-year-old was rejected.
The Blues made a $52 million offer to Atletico Madrid for Samu Omorodion but the Spanish side decided to turn it down, per The Athletic.
Omorodion joined Atletico last summer from Granada and was immediately loaned out to Alaves, where he scored nine goals and registered one assist from 35 league appearances.
Although the door may be momentarily shut on moves for Omorodion, The Athletic reports Chelsea still have other transfer targets in mind.
Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran is one who has heavily been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge and the clubs have been in talks regarding the Colombian.
The report also claims Chelsea admire former academy product Dominic Solanke but it appears unlikely at this stage due to his $124m release clause.
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FOXES CLOSE IN ON EX-BRIGHTON BOSS
Leicester City are inching closer towards appointing Enzo Maresca’s successor as they gear up for their return to the Premier League.
According to The Guardian, the Foxes are “close to reaching an agreement” with former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter to take over.
Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 but has not been short of offers, with Ajax one of numerous clubs he turned down.
Should Potter take the job, he’ll have to contend with Leicester’s worrying financial position as they could be docked points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).