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Several departures are expected at Tottenham this summer, but Paul Stewart exclusively told Football FanCast that he doesn’t believe Giovani Lo Celso should be on that list.

Following two disappointing league finishes in the last two seasons, Nuno Espirito Santo, along with director of football Fabio Paratici, are currently dealing with the “painful rebuild” that Mauricio Pochettino said was necessary in 2019.

Juan Foyth was the first through the exit door and has been joined by Erik Lamela going to Sevilla, with Toby Alderweireld are expected to leave for Qatari outfit Al-Duhail.

However, those three won’t be the last to be moved on, with plenty of interest in Santo’s squad.

One of those is Argentine Lo Celso, who’s on Barcelona’s radar having failed to settle in north London since signing from Real Betis on loan and then permanently four months later.

Lo Celso has shown glimpses, but his role at Tottenham has never quite been apparent despite making 65 appearances since moving from Spain.

However, Stewart has seen enough to suggest that Lo Celso could still make the grade in N17.

He told Football FanCast:

“I’d keep him because I think he could come good. It takes time to settle sometimes.

“He’s shown enough when I’ve seen him on the pitch to suggest he could become a really good player for Spurs, so I would be looking at keeping him for at least another season.”

Christian Pulisic says he feels "nothing but love" to AC Milan after receiving death threats from Lazio fans following Friday's fiery Serie A victory.

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• Pulisic got two Lazio players sent off
• Milan snatched a 1-0 victory
• USMNT forward sends love to Rossoneri family

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Noah Okafor might have won the match for Milan but it was Pulisic who was responsible for getting two of the three players sent off on Friday evening that opened up spaces in defence. The American midfielder's clash with Luca Pellegrini resulted in the Roma star's dismissal, while a late altercation with Matteo Guendouzi saw the former Arsenal man receive his marching orders as well.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following the game, Pulisic received death threats and vile messages from Lazio supporters, prompting concerns about the player's safety. However, the USMNT player has kept his composure and sent out a message of "love" for his teammates and the fans amid a difficult situation.

• WHAT PULISIC SAID

  In an Instagram post, Pulisic said: "Nothing but love for this squad and the entire Rossoneri family ❤️🖤"

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Pulisic has been in inspirational form in Serie A with seven goals and six assists in 25 appearances. He will now look to perform in the same vein in the Europa League when the Rossoneri welcome Czech club Slavia Pragu, to San Siro for the first leg of the last-16 tie on Thursday.

The right-back speaks to GOAL about his role in Erik ten Hag's side's stunning revival and his desire to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford

Diogo Dalot grew up supporting Porto, so naturally Jose Mourinho always held a special place in his heart. The Manchester United right-back was only five years old when Mourinho led his boyhood club to win the Champions League, just two months on from his iconic knee slide celebration at Old Trafford after knocking the Red Devils out.

Fourteen years after that unforgettable triumph and having just broken into the Porto team himself, Dalot got the call to go and play for 'The Special One' at United in the summer of 2018. And despite the fact he had only made seven senior appearances, Mourinho gave the then-19-year-old the mother of all endorsements by calling him "the best full-back in Europe in his age group".

"It brought me more responsibility," Dalot tells GOAL in an exclusive interview. "Coming from Mourinho, a legend of the game, makes it even more special. The relationship that we had was something good for me, to have a manager that supported me like he did. Those words brought me more responsibility and I'm trying to fulfil that in my career."

It might not have been the smoothest of rides, but Dalot is now well on his way to fulfilling Mourinho's prophecy. Mourinho was sacked by United just six months after Dalot's arrival and the full-back went out on loan to AC Milan two years later. When he returned, United had signed Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £50 million ($63m), putting another obstacle in between Dalot and a regular starting berth.

But now the Portugal international is demonstrating the potential Mourinhho saw in him, locking down his place as Ten Hag's first choice right-back and playing a key role in the club's resurgence during the second half of the season.

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  Crunching tackles

  Dalot has been at the forefront of United's revival in 2024, with the Red Devils winning six out of seven matches in all competitions while remaining unbeaten. He has started in every match since the turn of the year, scoring a magnificent curler against Wigan in the FA Cup and providing assists against Newport and Aston Villa. His sumptuous first-time cross at Villa Park allowed Scott McTominay to head home an 86th-minute winner which galvanised United's hopes of finishing in the top four and returning to the Champions League next season.

  He has also honed the defensive side of his game, delighting United fans with his thunderous slide tackles, such as when he chased down Jarrod Bowen in the recent 3-0 win over West Ham.

  “It was really quick, I just tried to reach him as fast as I could because I knew he was in a good position to score. I was fortunate enough to win the tackle and get the ball,” Dalot recalls, smiling at the enthusiasm in England for full-blooded slide tackles.

  “Yes, more than in other countries. The grass helps, it's good for sliding tackles and for moves like that. Obviously the fans loved it, they always get a little bit more excited when you do something like that.”

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  Need for speed

  The tackle on Bowen and the thrilling sprint back that made it possible also exhibited Dalot’s searing pace. According to he has recorded the fastest top speed of any United player in the Premier League this season.

  That is why he is excited to have signed with PUMA this week and to wear the ULTRA, described as the world’s fastest football boot. “Speed is massively important in the modern game, especially in my position, where everything is high intensity, really high speed over distances, so I'm happy that the Ultra will help me to get even more speed,” he says.

  Dalot joins a legendary line of players to have worn PUMA boots in the past, including Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona and Portugal icon Eusebio. The current crop of Puma players includes Antoine Griezmann, Neymar, Jack Grealish and Dalot’s United team-mate Antony.

  “That's one of the reasons why I joined them, the amount of players that they represented in the past and in the present. It's a brand that's growing even more, so I'm really excited to make this partnership with them," he adds.

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  Step forward

  Dalot readily admits he is in the form of his life, but he will not be truly satisfied until United are back where their fans believe they should be. It has been a testing season for the Red Devils, who lost nine of their first 18 matches and suffered a surprise early exit from the Champions League.

  "Probably it's my best time individually, but it doesn't fulfil that spot on my goals because collectively I want to be good and I want the team to be successful. So when we combine that, I think I'll be even happier," he says.

  United are definitely on the way back to the top and the arrival of minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team has helped lift the mood around the club, their arrival coinciding with the upturn in results. Dalot, however, knows there is still a long way to go.

  And he does not mean to get back to the standards United set under Ten Hag last season, when they finished third, reached the FA Cup final and won the Carabao Cup. He means United getting their hands back on the Premier League title, which they used to win routinely when Dalot was growing up.

  "Last season we had a good year, we finished well with the trophy, fighting for the FA Cup and being in the Champions League spots. It's not an aim for the club, but it's a step forward," he says. "This season, hopefully we can finish with one trophy and be in the Champions League, that would be also a step forward in my opinion when we didn't start the way we wanted."

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  'Mentality we need'

  "The standard will always be fighting for the Premier League, the Champions League and all the trophies that we are in. So I think we can be in the right direction to go there. The club hasn't won the Premier League in a lot of years. Eleven years. So the fans have been waiting a long time.

  "This is now, we have to win now. For them it doesn't matter if we won the Carabao Cup last season, in the next one we just have to win two trophies, win the Premier League. Every year you start the Premier League with expectations that you can win it.

  "This is the type of mentality that we need in the club. It's the normal standard for the club. It's up to us as players, as a club, as staff to show it and to do it on the pitch."

Everton don’t have a first-team manager in place but that shouldn’t stop Marcel Brands and co from neglecting the transfer market.

We are now a few weeks into the window but any sign of activity from Goodison Park is being brought to a halt while they hunt for a new head coach.

What’s the word?

One player the new Everton manager could look to sign this summer is Juventus centre-half Merih Demiral.

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Merseyside outfit and Tottenham are set to battle it out for the Turk’s signature this summer.

They are the only clubs interested in signing the defender per the report, who state that Juve are keen to sell the 23-year-old.

Demiral was valued at €40m (£34.5m) a few months ago so it could be a pricey deal for any suitor to complete.

Must swoop

If you’ve been watching the ongoing European Championships, then it’s likely you’d be against this signing.

After all, supposed dark horses Turkey were one of the worst teams at the tournament.

They failed to qualify from a group involving Italy, Wales and Switzerland as they scored just one goal and conceded eight.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-manager-transfer-nuno-conte-wood-marcelo” title= “Read the latest Everton manager and transfer news!”]

Demiral was part of that shoddy backline but his qualities weren’t fairly reflected during the opening fortnight of competition.

In short, the central defender is an “absolute beast” in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig.

He was an animal for Juventus last term, using immense strength and brute force to bully defenders.

The Turkey international won 2.2 aerial duels per game in the Champions League and prevailed in 3.6 aerial battles during his country’s Nations League campaign. For context, that second tally was only bettered by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in 2020/21.

A battling performer, he is willing to fight your cause until the bitter end. Speaking exclusively to Football Fancast, Serie A expert Conor Clancy said: “He can pass the ball well and he’s a little bit old school as well so he’s more than happy to go into the trenches and he will go to war with a striker if he needs to, and I think he improves any team he goes into.”

Everton are evidently in the mood to sign more defenders this term and they could combine the ruthless power of Demiral with the sensational physical traits that Denzel Dumfries possesses.

Described as a “freight train” by the BBC commentary team for his rampant runs down the right-hand side for the Netherlands at Euro 2020, he’s another player to be linked with the Toffees.

Everton were thought to be facing competition from Bayern Munich but their interest has reportedly died down.

Both players have tremendous strength and could be quite the duo in defence for Everton next season.

They are capable of terrifying forwards with their mighty presence and they are both individuals you’d want in the trenches beside you.

As Everton’s 5-0 defeat to Manchester City on the final day of the campaign tells us, they need players who aren’t going to roll over easily.

Marcel Brands would seal two magnificent deals by luring them to Merseyside over the coming months.

AND in other news, Bye-bye DCL: Everton must swoop for “spectacular” £24m gem with “blistering pace”…

Chelsea's Mauricio Pochettino was spotted hanging out with Salt Bae ahead of the Carabao Cup final showdown with Liverpool.

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• Pochettino met with Salt Bae
• Hailed his preparations at Nusr-Et
• The chef wished him luck for Sunday's final

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Turkish chef became infamous during the 2022 World Cup final for his attempts to hold the trophy and his interference with the celebrations of the Argentina team. Despite facing criticism from football fans following that incident, Pochettino didn't shy away from visiting the celebrity chef's restaurant Nusr-Et.

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• WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

  Pochettino lavished praise on the restaurant and said: "Everything is perfect. The best restaurant."

  Salt Bae asked: "Sunday?"

  Pochettino was a bit surprised with that and said: "We will see. It will be tough but we will try."

  Salt Bae then wished him luck for the upcoming Carabao Cup final and the pair embraced each other.

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  Earlier in January, Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, had also paid a visit to Salt Bae's restaurant. However, Arteta's encounter with the chef didn't go down well with the fans, and he faced ridicule on social media after a video surfaced of him being fed steak by Salt Bae.

According to Takvim, Glasgow Rangers have fallen short in their first attempt to sign Bright Osayi-Samuel from Turkish outfit Fenerbahce.

The Lowdown: Gers eye Osayi-Samuel

The Gers have been heavily linked with a move for Osayi-Samuel (Fotospor), who made the switch to the Super Lig from Queens Park Rangers earlier this year.

The Gers were also linked with him prior to that move (Football Insider), but the 23-year-old decided to switch to Fenerbahce instead.

The Latest: Osayi-Samuel bid to fall short

It is now being reported that Rangers will fall short in their bid to sign the winger.

They are said to be ready to offer €3m (£2.6m) for his services, but Fenerbahce are looking for €4m (£3.4m).

The Verdict: Big decision

Osayi-Samuel’s move to Turkey has not gone as he would have liked – he has managed just one goal and one assist in 18 league matches (Transfermarkt). However, during the 2019/20 campaign at QPR, he registered five assists and nine goals in the Championship (he has 19 goals throughout his career), while was hailed as “outstanding” by Mark Warburton, who also used to manage Rangers (via Brent & Kilburn Times).

The Gers could find themselves with deep pockets if they manage to reach the group stages of the Champions League, and even if they fail to make it that far, paying €4m (£3.4m) would not be out of the question.

Still, given the club’s transfer expenditure in recent years, it is not an inconsiderable fee, and it remains to be seen just how badly Ross Wilson and co want to sign Osayi-Samuel this summer.

In other news, Rangers have rejected several bids for this controversial man.

Anthony Martial has now gone almost three years since completing 90 minutes for Manchester United after being substituted against Newcastle.

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• Man Utd lost 1-0
• Martial subbed for Rasmus Hojlund
• Only played an hour

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Martial was brought off for Hojlund after an hour against Newcastle. During his time on the pitch, the Frenchman touched the ball just 17 times, the lowest number of the starting players on the pitch. He also failed to have a shot on goal or complete a dribble, and was dispossessed once. It continues an astonishing record as Martial has not completed 90 minutes in the Premier League for almost three years.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Martial has not completed 90 minutes for United since January 27, 2021, when they lost 2-1 to Sheffield United at Old Trafford. Shortly after that game, the striker tore his knee ligaments. He was also loaned to Sevilla during the 2021/22 season and, amazingly, he never completed a full game in La Liga either.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Martial has been with United since 2015 and is now just 18 months away from qualifying for a testimonial at Old Trafford. Across the last two seasons in all competitions, he has scored just 11 goals.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MARTIAL?

  His dire performance at St James' Park was equalled by just how bad Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes were, and United will now have to go away and lick their wounds. Martial has struggled to provide anything of value, and one has to think Rasmus Hojlund will be starting in his place against Chelsea on Wednesday.

USWNT legend Carli Lloyd hit back at a journalist for suggesting there is a "conflict of interests" in her commenting on Gotham FC matches.

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• Lloyd on pundit team for NWSL final
• Ex-USWNT star is co-owner of Gotham FC
• Hit back at 'conflict of interest' claim

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former midfielder has been named as a pundit by American broadcaster for the upcoming NWSL final match between Gotham and OL Reign.

  The two-time World Cup winner has become an analyst since her retirement and she was a prominent voice in the media when USWNT competed in Australia and New Zealand in the summer.

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  However, the 41-year-old being involved despite owning a minority stake in Gotham has caused some controversy, with Meg Linehan, a writer for , suggesting that such conflicts should be disclosed to viewers.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  "Fully admit I’m not the target audience of shoulder programming around the NWSL, but I do think we have to figure out a way to at least call out conflicts of interest better when booking talent on these shows. We have to cite any potential ones in every article," Linehan wrote on social media.

  However, Lloyd did not appreciate the comment, despite not being named in the original post, and replied: "What’s the problem? It’s soccer. Talking about two teams in the NWSL final? And you can just @ me. It’s all good."

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  The NWSL – which recently announced a groundbreaking TV deal – will stage its Championship match in San Diego on Saturday.

Sophia Smith and Becky Sauerbrunn made a comeback as Twila Kilgore announced her USWNT squad for two friendlies against Colombia.

• Kilgore announced 27-member USWNT squad
• Portland Thorns duo Smith & Sauerbrunn make comebacks
• Lavelle missed out through injury

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  WHO IS INCLUDED?

  Portland Thorns duo Sophia Smith and Becky Sauerbrunn are back in the USWNT squad. Sauerbrunn, who missed the 2023 Women's World Cup due to a foot injury, makes a comeback into the national team while Smith was not included in the USWNT squad for the September friendlies as she was carrying a knee injury at that time.

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  WHO ELSE HAS MADE THE CUT?

  Interim head coach Kilgore has also named two uncapped players in the squad this time. Forward Jaedyn Shaw of San Diego Wave and Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie have been included in the 27-member roster. This is Moultrie's first call-up to the national team while Shaw was included in the squad for the September friendlies but did not make her debut.

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  USWNT SQUAD IN FULL

  GOALKEEPERS: Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit; 1), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage; 15), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 96)

  DEFENDERS: Alana Cook (OL Reign; 27/1), Crystal Dunn (Portland Thorns FC; 138/24), Emily Fox (North Carolina Courage; 35/1), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC; 22/0), Sofia Huerta (OL Reign; 31/0), Casey Krueger (Chicago Red Stars; 40/0), Becky Sauerbrunn (Portland Thorns FC; 216/0), Emily Sonnett (OL Reign; 79/2), M.A. Vignola (Angel City FC; 1/0)

  MIDFIELDERS: Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC; 4/0), Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville FC; 4/0), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon, FRA; 135/29), Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns FC; 0/0), Ashley Sanchez (Washington Spirit; 26/3), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 51/3)

  FORWARDS: Mia Fishel (Chelsea FC, ENG; 1/0), Ashley Hatch (Washington Spirit; 20/5), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC; 213/121), Midge Purce (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 24/4), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit; 24/6), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC; 0/0), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC; 34/14), Alyssa Thompson (Angel City FC; 7/0), Lynn Williams (NJ/NY Gotham FC; 57/17)

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  WHO HAS BEEN LEFT OUT?

  The most notable name to be left out of the current squad is the experienced OL Reign midfielder Rose Lavelle, who is recovering from injury. The 28-year-old has appeared in 91 international matches where she scored 24 goals. Tierna Davidson is also not fit on this occasion.

Erik Lamela is probably best summed up by his derby performance against Arsenal in which he scored an exquisite rabona goal before being sent off later in the game, and his inconsistency is what stops him from reaching his full potential, according to Spurs legend Paul Stewart.

When the winger arrived from Roma back in 2013 as a replacement for Gareth Bale, he was the club’s record signing at £27 million but inconsistent season after inconsistent season even saw Bale, the man he was supposed to replace, ultimately contribute more for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Reports have claimed that the 29-year old is all but set for a summer exit as Spurs are in desperate need of an overhaul of their squad that failed to even qualify for the Europa League this season, and are still without a manager.

£80,000-a-week man Lamela has rarely been able to maintain a starting spot under any manager and failing to live up to his price tag and he may well not be missed. That’s according to Stewart, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“He scored that unbelievable goal and sometimes looks like a world-beater but we don’t see that enough from him.

“I just think his inconsistency is the reason why Spurs can afford to let him go because he just hasn’t been able to do it week in week out.”

Spurs have a young talented winger who spent the season out on loan with Hoffenheim in Ryan Sessegnon, and if the new manager fancies him then that could be the long term future of their left-hand side.

It appears very obvious that Spurs will have to spend big this summer and that may not be difficult to do if they end up losing Harry Kane as that will bring in over £100 million to the club.