Tottenham Hotspur players are said to have enjoyed the break away from Antonio Conte when the Italian returned home to recover from his recent surgery.

Will Spurs part ways with Antonio Conte?

Spurs were sent packing in the Champions League on Wednesday night and now face another season without getting their hands on any silverware.

And in turn, their recent form has cast a dark shadow over N17 with the future of the Italian manager now in question ahead of the summer.

However, over recent weeks, the Spurs manager had missed a number of the club’s games as a result of his recovery in which Cristian Stellini led them on a positive run.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested the mood around Hotspur Way was much more positive with Conte back home in Italy:

“I know, because I speak to a lot of people around the club; I also speak to people around the players. And the one thing I keep hearing was that while he was away, Conte, Hotspur Way was just kind of a more relaxed place.”

Should Tottenham sack Antonio Conte?

No silverware is on the table for the Lilywhites this season, however, the prospect of Champions League football for next season is still there to be clinched.

Some fans may be wondering what the point of the top four is when the club put out performances as they did in the last 16 against AC Milan, however, ahead of the summer, it provides the club more room to spend.

Again, some fans may scoff at the notion of the owners investing in new players, however, the reality is the club have spent fairly significantly over the last few windows.

Whether that has been on the right players or not is another question but, ultimately, that does not necessarily land solely at the feet of Daniel Levy.

But what the chairman now has to decide is whether Conte is the right man to guide this struggling side over the line and into the Champions League for next season – even if he is not going to be there.

Looking ahead, Spurs have a favourable run of games ahead of them which include trips to Newcastle United and Liverpool – their main top-four rivals – which means they do have the say in their own destiny.

But with Conte seemingly not wanting to be at the club any longer, you have to question whether he is motivated to get the best out of this side when he, seemingly, is not going to be there next season.

Spurs have two games against Nottingham Forest and Southampton coming up before the international break and it does feel like that could be the opportunity for Spurs to potentially make their move.

Newcastle United are one of the sides who admire Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves ahead of the summer transfer window.

Is Neves available to leave Wolves in the summer?

The future of the Portuguese midfielder is seemingly under speculation ahead of the summer with his contract at Molineux set to enter the final year over the summer.

And as a result, there have been reports claiming Liverpool have emerged as one of the clubs who would be looking to take Neves' career elsewhere in the Premier League.

As well as a possible move north to Anfield, there have also been some suggestions that Barcelona could be interested in making a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has claimed the Magpies could also provide some competition in the summer for his signature:

"I think he's been absolutely fantastic. He's captaining his team now, I think whoever gets him, it'll be a massive coup because I think he's only going to get better. We know Newcastle like him, I think he'd be a great fit there alongside Bruno."

Would Neves be a good fit for Newcastle?

Coming out of the January transfer window, it was made pretty evident that Eddie Howe was not pleased with the options he had been left with in midfield.

Having gone into the window looking to bring in at least one new face in that department, no new midfield signings were made and Jonjo Shelvey was sold to Nottingham Forest.

So ahead of the summer transfer window, it is apparent Howe will have the midfield identified as an area for improvement over the coming months.

One name which has been linked with a potential move to St. James' Park is that of Manchester United's Scott McTominay.

Comparing the two midfielders, the Portuguese ace has provided Wolves with much more of an attacking threat than the Scotland international has at United.

Having returned five goals to McTominay's one, Neves has also offered Wolves with a higher number of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (via FBref).

As well as providing more passes per game, the Portuguese midfielder hasn't lacked in his defensive input with an almost identical return of tackles per 90 minutes as McTominay.

Given Newcastle are currently only three points off the Red Devils, there could well be a reluctance for Erik ten Hag's side to deal with Newcastle.

Therefore, a potential deal with Wolves could well prove easier to pull off in the summer, although the calibre of clubs also interested in Neves could prove a serious issue for the Toon.

Newcastle United travel away from St. James' Park tonight as they face off against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

The Magpies head into this match off the back of a 2-1 win at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend in the top-flight and will be looking to go into the international break with two successive victories.

Eddie Howe's side beat Wolves thanks to goals from Alexander Isak and Miguel Almiron but will the head coach make any alterations to his starting XI?

How will Newcastle United line up against Nottingham Forest tonight?

(4-3-3): Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, Matt Targett; Elliot Anderson, Bruno Guimaraes, Joe Willock; Miguel Almiron, Alexander Isak, Allan Saint-Maximin

Howe could bring in Matt Targett, Elliot Anderson, and Miguel Almiron to freshen the side up with three changes ahead of their clash with Steve Cooper's men tonight.

Firstly, Dan Burn – who reporter Ciaran Kelly once dubbed a "colossus" – could be ditched in favour of an attacking option at left-back. The 30-year-old has created 0.5 chances per game in the top-flight this term and Targett – who averaged 1.2 key passes per outing last season – could offer more to the side in possession.

This could provide Saint-Maximin with more support down the left flank and afford the Frenchman more space to work with as Forest's full-back may need to consider Targett's overlapping runs.

In midfield, Joelinton is suspended and there has been some fan speculation over Sean Longstaff's availability after the gem was not in the club's training images.

This could open the door for young midfielder Anderson to start alongside Joe Willock and Bruno Guimaraes. Football FanCast recently published an article explaining why the maestro should start as he could cause problems for former Newcastle ace Jonjo Shelvey, who could line up for the opposition tonight.

Finally, Almiron should return to replace Jacob Murphy in the front three. The 29-year-old came off the bench to score the winner against Wolves and his 11-goal tally in the Premier League this season proves that the marksman has the quality to be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch.

Whereas, Murphy has scored once and provided one assist in 25 matches and does not carry the same threat, which is why Howe could bring the Paraguay international in from the start.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed a number of managers that Real Madrid could turn to should Carlo Ancelotti decide to part ways this summer.

What's going on with Ancelotti at Real Madrid?

The European champions have suffered a dip this season, as a loss in El Clasico has meant that Barcelona are all but set to win La Liga, and whilst they may fancy their chances in the Champions League once again, changes may be made at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Ancelotti has been linked with the Brazil job, and if the Italian chooses to move on or the club decide to end his second tenure in the Spanish capital, they will need to appoint a successor who can step into one of the biggest jobs in world football.

Former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel was one option that they were reportedly considering, but he has just recently joined Bayern Munich.

Speaking on his YouTube channel (1.20), Romano named two other candidates on Real Madrid's list as they plan ahead for the future.

He said: "Real Madrid right now are still protecting and backing Carlo Ancelotti.

"They still dream of the Champions League, and so they want Ancelotti to work in the best way, not feeling any pressure. But we also know that at Real Madrid, to win titles is crucial.

"Real Madrid have some potential ideas – I say potential because nothing is advanced because they're working to protect Ancelotti, but Tuchel was one of them.

"The others are, for sure, Raul, and for sure, Mauricio Pochettino – all coaches appreciated internally at Real Madrid. Of course, Raul is already in the Castilla team.

"Let's see if there will be other options, but at the moment, it's just some ideas – not something decided – because Carlo Ancelotti remains 100% in control of the situation, especially for the Champions League."

Is it time for Real Madrid to move on from Ancelotti?

Although the 63-year-old has achieved incredible success with the club, the case can be made that a summer departure would be the perfect time to move on.

He was even criticised during their victorious Champions League campaign last season, as Real came from behind on a number of occasions to win despite being outplayed at times.

Being 12 points behind Barcelona at this stage of the season has shown that there are weaknesses in this Madrid side, and a refresh in tactics and the squad could set Los Blancos up for a title challenge.

Pochettino has been out of work since being fired from his role at Paris Saint-Germain, whilst Raul has Real Madrid's Castilla side pushing for promotion to the second tier.

By choosing Raul, Real could follow a similar route to the one they took when they appointed Zinedine Zidane, who achieved unprecedented success after being promoted from Castilla, leaving Ancelotti to join the Brazil side and Real to begin a new era with another club legend at the helm.

Newcastle United may reportedly be offered a shock swap deal involving Bruno Guimaraes and Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Contract talks

Newcastle reportedly want to tie Bruno down to a new longer-term contract, with his current deal at St. James’ Park set to expire in 2026.

However, while a new contract has not been signed, the midfielder is sure to attract plenty of interest from some big clubs in the summer, as he has been a standout performer in the Premier League for a Magpies side looking to chase a UEFA Champions League spot for next season.

If they fail to qualify for Europe’s elite competition, then Bruno’s head could well be turned by a club playing in it.

The Latest: Swap with Phillips?

As per The Sunday Mirror (19/03, page 78) via HITC, Man City are interested in signing Bruno this summer, and could offer England international Phillips as part of a shock swap deal.

The deal would be in a part-exchange, as City would also offer £80m up front, while Real Madrid are also thought to be interested in his signature.

The Verdict: Forget it!

Of course, City are offering a lot of money for Bruno as well as a player in exchange, which would equate to the North East club’s biggest sale by far.

However, the Brazil international has shown just how important of a player he is to Eddie Howe’s side, and if the Tynesiders have any ambitions of catching up to City in terms of success with trophies in their long-term project, then giving them Bruno is simply a no-go.

On the other side, Phillips is certainly a quality midfielder, as journalist Paul Brown has previously hailed him as a ‘Rolls Royce’. However, he has shown himself to be injury-prone over the last couple of seasons, dating back to his time at Leeds United as well as at the Etihad Stadium.

Nonetheless, Bruno is also a couple of years younger than the 27-year-old at 25, and so has a higher ceiling to reach, and being under contract until 2026, the Toon should be under little pressure to sell him right now.

Overall, the prospect of losing Bruno outweighs the potential of bringing in a large cash sum as well as Phillips, and so the Tynesiders should be looking to walk away from this deal, should it be proposed to them by their rivals City in the summer.

Frank Lampard may have overseen a successful survival bid last season, but it quickly became apparent that he would be dragging the Toffees into another. Step forward Sean Dyche as the man to breathe new life into an inconsistent outfit that was crying out for stability.

Anxious

Progress under a new management team is steady, rather than spectacular, and it won’t have gone unnoticed to those betting on Premier League markets that those on the blue half of Merseyside are shooting anxious glances over collective shoulders.

The battle to avoid tumbling through a trapdoor into the Championship has become tighter than ever, with Everton priced at 2/1 in Premier League relegation odds to slip out of English football’s top flight for the first time since 1951.

If they are to avoid suffering that fate, then Dyche will need to build on solid foundations. He is famed for making his teams tough to break down, and he currently has the perfect last line of defence at his disposal.

Jordan Pickford is an established England international and a man that would not look out of place as the first name on any team sheet.

Fortunately for Toffees fans, he has committed to a new contract that is due to take him through to 2027. He has said of those terms: “Everton is a massive club. The past few seasons have not been what we wanted but we now have a manager who I believe will point us in the right direction and get us up the table. It’s definitely my aim to be successful at this club.”

Pickford has been a mainstay at Goodison since 2017, becoming the most expensive goalkeeper in British history when a move from Sunderland was made, and he remains fully committed to the cause despite obvious difficulties.

Pickford added on future ambitions: “This contract will take me to more than 10 years at Everton and I want to build a legacy here to put myself up there with the likes of Neville Southall to be one of the best keepers to have played for Everton.”

That will be music to the ears of Toffees followers everywhere, but it remains to be seen whether such dreams become a reality. If Everton were to lose their Premier League status in 2023, would Pickford stick around to help them bounce back?

Transfer

Hugo Lloris is slowly edging his way towards the exits at Tottenham, and there has been plenty of speculation to suggest that Pickford figures prominently on recruitment radars in north London and may become the subject of another big-money transfer at some stage.

Spurs’ cause would certainly be aided if they were trying to do business with a second-tier club. Everton supporters will, as they continue to clutch at any straw which falls within reach, want to give no thought to losing their No.1, but will Pickford’s new deal end up lasting four years as intended or a mere four months?

Photo by Unsplash

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth believes that Tottenham-linked Mauricio Pochettino will assess his options heading into the summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs speculation

Antonio Conte’s position in north London appears to be in real jeopardy, with the Spurs squad believing it is just a matter of time until he leaves the club.

Pochettino has been linked with a return to Tottenham, should Conte depart, with Sky Sports stating in the week that many of Tottenham’s squad have already been in contact with the Argentine, who would take the job if offered it.

The 51-year-old has been out of work since the summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, but it looks as if it could be 12 months before he makes his return to the dugout.

The Latest: Sheth’s comments

Sheth was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Spurs and Pochettino in a story shared in the last 24 hours. The Sky Sports reporter believes that the former Tottenham boss will be assessing his options ahead of the summer, name-checking Real Madrid as a potential destination should Carlo Ancelotti depart the Bernabeu:

“You’ll find that a lot of these big-name managers who Tottenham will be looking at, they tend to say, ‘I’ll just keep my powder dry until the summer, then I’ll assess all of my options’. That’s definitely the information we’re getting with regard to Mauricio Pochettino.

“He wants to assess all of his options in the summer, because, you know what, there’s another big job that could be coming around as well. There’s lots of talk about Carlo Ancelotti going from Real Madrid to the Brazilian national team come the end of the season and then suddenly, you’ve got the biggest job, you could argue in world football, for a manager available.”

The Verdict: Short-term appointment?

If Conte departs over the coming weeks, it could be worth looking at a short-term option until the end of the campaign, should Pochettino and other possible candidates be looking at a return in the summer, as Sheth claims.

London rivals Crystal Palace have done just that by bringing in Roy Hodgson for the remaining Premier League fixtures, and it seems as if Spurs have also considered a similar move, with Ryan Mason name-checked as a potential caretaker option.

Conte’s astonishing post-match Southampton rant could result in Mason taking over until the end of the season, which may help the club in their pursuit of a long-term appointment, possibly Pochettino, although Bayern Munich’s decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann has seen another possible twist, with Tottenham possibly making contact for the now available manager.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes was left stunned by the performance of Sven Botman in their Premier League victory on Sunday afternoon.

Can Newcastle end their Champions League drought?

The Magpies are certainly making big strides towards returning to Europe's top table with their last appearance in the competition coming back in 2003.

And the fresh faces brought in under Eddie Howe's reign are quickly becoming local heroes with the likes of Guimaraes and Botman proving to be key figures in this new era on Tyneside.

The victory against the Red Devils not only provided the Toon Army with a taste of revenge following their Carabao Cup defeat last month, but also sees them leapfrog United into third spot.

Newcastle's time in third may be short-lived with Tottenham Hotspur travelling to Goodison Park on Monday night, however, the clash on Merseyside will restore their two-game advantage over the Londoners.

On the back of being handed the Player of the Match award himself, Guimaraes took to Botman's post-game Instagram image to praise the £90k-per-week defender's display:

How good was Botman on Sunday?

Howe's side have been rock solid at the back this season and boast the Premier League's tightest defence having only conceded 19 goals.

To put that into context, Manchester City – who have the second-best record – have conceded seven more goals and league leaders Arsenal have conceded eight more.

And the summer signing, Botman, has been at the centre of this stunning form having now played 25 times in the Premier League this term (via Transfermarkt).

In the Red Devils, Newcastle were coming up against one of the league's most in-form forwards with Marcus Rashford returning to the fold.

However, it proved to be a muted 90 minutes for the 26-year-old who had just 29 touches of the ball and registered no shots at all (via SofaScore).

In comparison, Botman – who's been labelled a "Rolls Royce defender" by journalist Jordan Cronin – racked up three interceptions, one block and one clearance as the Magpies limited the visitors to just one shot on Nick Pope's goal (via SofaScore).

What has been equally impressive is Botman's disciplinary record having received just one yellow card in over 2000 minutes of league action (via Transfermarkt).

Botman was not included in the Netherlands' 2022 World Cup squad late last year and his form in his first Premier League campaign is certainly making a mockery of that decision.

But it is apparent the 23-year-old's efforts are not going unnoticed by his teammates with Guimaraes full of praise for the Dutch defender.

West Ham United have been told by Emiliano Leva that they have a ‘top-tier’ gem in Gianluca Scamacca and he is ‘ready’ for a move to one of Serie A’s biggest clubs.

The Lowdown: Mixed season…

The 24-year-old started this campaign brightly under manager David Moyes, scoring in each leg of their Europa Conference League qualifying round against Viborg.

Scamacca went on to bag group stage goals against both Silkborg and Anderlecht early in the campaign and eventually notched his first Premier League goal for the club against Wolves in October.

However, a combination of both injury issues and a subsequent lack of game time since has somewhat stifled the Italy international’s momentum.

There have also been theories that Scamacca could be ‘struggling’ with adaption to English football and it’s safe to say the player hasn’t exactly had his best debut season overall.

This comes after West Ham signed from Sassuolo for a fee of around £35.5 million, ending their long search for a striker in the summer of 2022.

The Latest: Leva praises Scamacca…

Speaking to Sport Italia.com, Leva, a former coach of the striker’s from 2009 to 2012 in the Lazio youth setup, has heaped praise on Scamacca amid his links with a Serie A return.

He claims the Italian is ‘ready’ for a ‘possible leap’ to one of Juventus or Inter, who have been touted as suitors.

Leva said:

“Gianluca is a top-tier centre-forward, it is no coincidence that he has been with the national team for some time. I can certainly tell you that he has all the potential to make the leap into a big one. [Simone] Inzaghi already knows him well from the time when I coached him at Lazio, he often came to watch the youth games.”

When asked where Scamacca could end up, Juve or Inter, the former Lazio academy coach went on to say:

“I can’t say where I would see him best, they are complex discussions that foresee the interlocking of many factors. I repeat that the only thing I am sure of is that Gianluca is ready to make this possible leap. But you will see that in the meantime he will return to being the protagonist with West Ham.“

The Verdict: Great player…

Despite a lacklustre debut campaign at West Ham, we believe Scamacca is still very much a player to watch – especially going by his brilliant goal return of 16 in 25 league starts for Sassuolo last campaign.

The 6 foot 5 striker, called a ‘powerhouse’ by members of the press, still very much has the potential to make it at the London Stadium.

Still fairly young, perhaps this season could be judged as a settling in period as the demands of English football grow ever more intense year by year.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Glasner…

Recent reports have suggested that the Austrian tactician is on Fabio Paratici’s shortlist as a long-term replacement for Antonio Conte.

Claims from Germany suggest that Glasner has already been contacted by Spurs ahead of a possible move for the Austrian, coming as his Frankfurt contract is slowly winding down.

Spurs are reportedly on the lookout for Conte’s replacement after the Italian’s scathing post-match rant against Southampton last weekend, with Glasner mentioned alongside the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel and Luis Enrique.

The Premier League top-four hopefuls squandered a 3-1 lead late-on to share the spoils 3-3 at St. Mary’s, a result which culminated in Conte’s wrath.

Indeed, Conte attacked the very culture of Tottenham, his squad and even the board – stating:

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.”

The Latest: Spurs handed Glasner boost?

Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, sharing news from across the continent, has an update on Glasner’s situation at Frankfurt.

Amid Tottenham’s interest, it is believed the tactician is stalling on a new deal and wants to take his time.

Glasner apparently now wishes to assess his options, with Plettenberg explaining:

“He wants to take his time in order to take a decision about a contract extension beyond 2024. Good relation with Krösche but still a strong interest from [England]. No concrete negotiations with Frankfurt at this stage. Should follow next weeks. Top coach!”

The Verdict: Make the move?

If Spurs could tempt Glasner into swapping the Bundesliga for English football, he could come as a fairly solid candidate and potential alternative to the likes of Mauricio Pochettino.

The latter man, given his credentials and status as a free agent, should be viewed as Daniel Levy’s top managerial priority in our opinion.

However, if Spurs are unable to agree the Argentine’s return, Glasner has been praised for his ‘intense’ and ‘aggressive’ football.

The former Wolfsburg boss also has experience winning silverware, clinching the Europa League title last year at the expense of Scottish giants Rangers.