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Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski may have to win over new manager Ange Postecoglou who, as things stand, is "not too convinced" by him.

Who could leave Spurs this summer?

Chairman Daniel Levy finally landed on Postecoglou to replace Antonio Conte last week, after over two months of searching for the Italian's replacement.

The 57-year-old set to officially start work on July 1, and Levy has explained exactly why he opted for the ex-Celtic boss in an interview with the club's official website.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," said Levy.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

Tottenham are now tasked with backing Postecoglou in the transfer market whilst reshaping the team in his image, with the club identifying targets for their goalkeeping, central defensive and attacking midfield positions.

However, there are a few faces who could also depart N17 to make way, and it will be very interesting to see who Postecoglou does and doesn't fancy.

Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped for the axe. Meanwhile, Spurs are also thinking of selling Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks with Tanguy Ndombele's future uncertain (The Telegraph).

According to a new report by 90min, they are not the only ones, with defender Eric Dier's talks over a new deal stalling. As well as the Englishman, there is a very interesting line concerning Kulusevski, who starred under Conte during the 2021/2022 season.

As per their information, the Sweden international "may have to win over Postecoglou", with the Australian "not too convinced" by him right now.

Kulusevski's loan-to-buy deal from Juventus is still yet to activated and the 23-year-old is still very much there on a temporary deal.

Who is Dejan Kulusevski?

The forward, despite a mixed 22/23, seriously impressed under Conte the season prior after signing in January of that year.

From February 2022 onwards, Kulusevski chipped in with five goals and eight assists as Tottenham secured Champions League qualification.

The former Parma star has showcased his serious ability on more than one occasion and we believe he'd be a useful asset for Postecoglou.

Even last season, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist was blown away by some of his showings, even calling Kulusevski "absolutely different class" after a performance against Chelsea in February.

Coventry City are interested in bringing in Wrexham midfielder Thomas O'Connor in the summer window, according to a report from the Mirror.

Who is Thomas O'Connor?

O'Connor came through the Southampton youth system after joining the club in 2015 from the Republic of Ireland, where the highlight was captaining the Southampton under-21 side throughout the majority of the 2018/19 season.

The Irish midfielder enjoyed two separate loan spells at then-League One side Gillingham across both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, where he made 67 appearances, scoring one goal and assisting six. O'Connor began to show his versatility throughout this loan spell, making appearances at left-back, left midfield, central midfield, and central defence.

Despite a positive loan spell, Southampton decided to release O'Connor at the end of the 2020/21 season and Burton Albion picked up the midfielder on a free transfer, where he signed a two-year deal to continue playing at the League One level.

The Irishman only made 21 appearances during his six-month spell at Burton, where he began to demonstrate his goal-scoring prowess, before sealing a January 2022 deadline day move to Wrexham, who were competing in the National League at the time.

The 24-year-old's Wrexham career has been very stop-start, making just 36 appearances out of a possible 79 across his 18-month spell with the Welsh club which has resulted in promotion to the Football League.

Despite his injury problems, the number 22 has received praise from journalist Mark Griffith, who noted that the player had begun to put in 'heroic' performances after settling into the club.

Would O'Connor be a good signing for Coventry City?

Coventry just narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season, losing on penalties in the play-off final to Luton Town, and as a result are expected to lose a number of key players this summer including Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres.

O'Connor has shown in the past that he can perform when he faces Championship level opposition, with his 8/10 performance against Sheffield United in the FA Cup this season where he recorded a goal and an assist a testament to his quality and level of performance.

There will be question marks about if the Irishman would be a success at the Championship side, however, his positional versatility and his previously impressive performances in League One should give manager Mark Robins the confidence that should he be able to get over his injury problems, the left-footed midfielder could well be a success at the Sky Blues, and can potentially replace Hamer.

West Ham United have made themselves known to hold an interest in bringing Villarreal striker Boulaye Dia to the Premier League, according to reports.

Are West Ham signing Boulaye Dia?

The Senegal international is owned by Villarreal having joined back in 2021 but spent last season out on loan at Salernitana, who do have the option to buy him available, and it’s fair to say that he made quite the impression during his time at the Arechi Stadium.

During his 33 appearances, the 26-year-old established himself as both Paulo Sousa’s overall and offensive top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.88, and this impressive form has seemingly grabbed the attention of David Moyes.

Back in May, Italian outlet Calciomercato reported that the Irons had shown an admiration in the centre-forward and were in pole position to secure his services, with the plan being that Salernitana would permanently purchase him to immediately sell him on for a profit where his expected price tag has now been revealed.

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), West Ham, alongside top-flight rivals Everton and Serie A side Fiorentina, have all "come forward" to sign Dia ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Irons do indeed hold an "interest" in the striker, but Salernitana will "try to resist" offers for their prized asset and are likely to demand "at least" €30m (£25m) to sanction his sale.

The Nike-sponsored star has recently undergone surgery on a knee injury, though it's stated that he'll only be on the sidelines for four weeks and therefore will be fully fit in time for the start of pre-season.

Should West Ham splash the cash on Dia?

In January, Michail Antonio reportedly told one of his close friends that he could have left West Ham in the closing stages of the transfer window, so there’s always a chance that he may depart over the summer, and should that be the case, Dia could be the perfect replacement, so it’s definitely worth the board testing the waters with an offer.

The Africa Cup winner was a force to be reckoned with at Salernitana, racking up a remarkable 22 goal contributions (16 goals and six assists) in 33 appearances where his outstanding form was rewarded by receiving four man-of-the-match trophies.

The Oyonnax native, who is a “handful to deal with” according to journalist Josh Bunting, is also always looking to produce moments of quality even if he’s not on the scoresheet having recorded 64 shot-creating actions last term which was the second-highest total throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, so should the opportunity present itself, this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Leeds United fans may be of the opinion that Daniel James has already played his last game for the club, as he has struggled to have much of an impact following his £25m move from Manchester United.

However, should the West Yorkshire outfit suffer relegation on Sunday – with only a remarkable set of results likely to be enough to keep Sam Allardyce's side in the Premier League – James could return to Elland Road for the 2023/24 campaign and be an unlikely hero in the Championship.

How has Dan James performed at Leeds?

Leeds signed the Wales international under Marcelo Bielsa in 2021, with the speedy winger signing a £50k-per-week deal until 2026.

Although he managed four goals and four assists in 32 Premier League appearances in his debut season, his WhoScored average rating of 6.44/10 suggests his overall performances were far from good enough.

Bielsa obviously had a plan for the former Swansea City man, but once he was sacked, James struggled for regular game time under Jesse Marsch and mustered just four appearances at the start of this season before joining Fulham on loan.

Although he has not been a regular in Marco Silva's side, managing just five starts in the top flight, he does boast two goals and one assist, with his electric pace still a very dangerous asset for any side to have on the counter-attack.

The 25-year-old did enjoy a brief run of form when Bielsa selected him as a striker in 2022, with Micah Richards singing his praises on Match of the Day after a brace against Aston Villa.

He said (as per This Is Futbol): “He scored two before today’s game, he got another two today and I thought his all-round game was outstanding. We’ve talked a lot about Dan James – at Man United, he used to get into some very good positions and fluff his lines a little bit.

“But I’ve seen a measured, a more composed approach, his runs in behind – as a defender, it’s an absolute nightmare.”

Could James be an unlikely hero for Leeds?

After a few seasons of struggle in the Premier League, a return to the Championship could be exactly what James needs to kickstart his Leeds career.

The Welshman was young the last time he featured in the second tier with Swansea City, but impressed with his performances, notching four goals and seven assists with a strong 6.95 average rating from WhoScored.

James will likely be back at Elland Road for pre-season unless a Premier League side takes a gamble on signing him, and with three years to run on his deal, the new manager will surely want to take a look at him before making a decision on his future.

While the fanbase may be forgiven for writing him off at this point, there is no doubt that he could be a great option for Leeds if they find themselves in the second tier, and he could be an unlikely hero in any potential promotion challenge next season.

At least three Premier League clubs are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore this summer, according to a report from 90min. 

The lowdown: Out of favour star

Once a fan favourite, Traore has fallen dramatically down the pecking order under Bruno Lage and was sent out on loan to Barcelona in January.

Included in the temporary switch was an option for the Catalan club to make the deal permanent, although it’s believed officials at the Camp Nou aren’t willing to sanction the move after just two assists in 11 La Liga outings.

Now, as a return to Molineux looms large, Traore’s ongoing future in the Midlands remains in serious doubt…

The latest: Wanted man

As per 90min, Newcastle United, Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen on the 26-year-old Spaniard.

It’s claimed that Wolves will ‘focus on trying to offload Traore for good’ this summer and it seems inevitable that the powerful wide-man ‘will still leave’ the club in the near future.

The report states that Newcastle and Leeds have ‘previously enquired’ about the man recently hailed as ‘unstoppable’ by journalist Ronald Morgan following a standout Europa League display against Napoli containing two assists.

The verdict: Cash in

With only 29 direct goal involvements in 154 outings, having often flattered to deceive in an Old Gold shirt, the Spanish speedster has been usurped by the likes of Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence and more recently Chiquinho in the Molineux pecking order.

Following just one goal and four assists in 40 appearances across all competitions in 2021/22, that’s a situation that seems unlikely to change in the near future as Lage asks ownership group Fosun for the funds to strengthen the ranks accordingly.

Under contract until 2023 and valued at £25.2million (Transfermarkt), the Wolves hierarchy must still demand a large fee for Traore that would bolster the coffers available to Lage this summer, particularly as the powerful eight-cap ace seemingly remains awash with major interest.

In other news, Wolves have received a transfer boost regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Valentin Castellanos this summer.

The Lowdown: Striker worries

Both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison have been linked with a move away from Goodison Park this summer, meaning that they may have to hunt for a new striker this window.

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It is not a surprise that Casetllanos is on their radar, having scored 11 goals and made a further five assists in total in just 17 games over all competitions so far this season for New York City (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Castellanos eyed

As per Tuttomercatoweb, the Merseyside club, as well as Newcastle United and Serie A side Bologna, are all now eyeing a move for Castellanos.

He has already rejected a proposal to stay in the United States, and is looking for a new club in Europe.

The Verdict: Sign

It looks unlikely that the Toffees will be able to keep both Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison after the relegation battle that they were involved in, and so Castellanos could turn out to be a smart buy.

He has a huge admirer in Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who has branded him a ‘quality player‘, while he has also been hailed as a ‘top class‘ centre-forward by his own boss Ronny Deila.

MLS expert and co-host of the MLS UK Show podcast Henry Hewitt has even gone as far as to dub him the ‘new Didier Drogba’, so he seems bound to hit the ground running in the Premier League.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ leader EFC are now favourites to sign here!

Rangers ended their season in joyous fashion as the Glasgow giants lifted the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 win at Hampden Park on Saturday.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men dug in deep to overcome the disappointment of their Europa League final defeat to win a trophy, as goals from Ryan Jack and Scott Wright in extra time sealed the win.

The initial 90 minutes were cagey from both teams as they struggled to create any clear-cut chances of note, aside from a Joe Aribo strike which was well-saved by Craig Gordon.

Jack then gave Rangers the lead two minutes into extra-time as he produced a sensational strike from the edge of the penalty box which cannoned into the back of the Hearts net off the crossbar.

Wright, who also came off the bench, then made sure of the result a couple of minutes later as he latched onto a pass from Ryan Kent and buried the ball into the bottom corner of Gordon’s net.

Whilst Jack sparked the Light Blues into life, and ultimately won the cup with his sublime goal in the 94th minute, the real Scottish Cup final hero for the Gers was full-back Calvin Bassey.

Bassey was Rangers’ real hero

After catching the eye with an excellent performance against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final at centre-back, the 22-year-old was moved to left-back against Hearts and was absolutely outstanding from start to finish.

Scotland women’s international Joelle Murray described his display as “phenomenal”, while The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell also heaped praise on the defender during the game.

He tweeted: “Bassey has been outstanding again here, this time at left back. A few brilliant crosses first half and already a couple of runs down the outside since the break. It’s like he now fully appreciates just how much of a physical advantage he has over most opponents.”

As Campbell highlighted, the Nigeria international kept breaking way on the outside of defenders and got joy down the left flank. He produced two magnificent crosses into the box in regular time as he teed up Joe Aribo and Amad Diallo, only for both players to miss with their head. He also had an effort of his own which required a save from Gordon.

Bassey kept the Hearts attackers at bay and added an attacking threat with his own play as he put together a complete performance for Van Bronckhorst, further enhancing his growing reputation at Ibrox.

Therefore, the full-back was the real hero of the day as he put in a sublime display from minute one to 120 as he bombed up and down the left flank non-stop throughout the match.

AND in other news, Ross Wilson plotting Rangers swoop for 16 y/o “teen talent”, GvB will be buzzing…

Rangers’ swashbuckling Europa League campaign came to a heart-breaking end last night as they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in Seville.

Joe Aribo put Van Bronckhorst’s side ahead after 57 minutes only for Frankfurt to equalise 12 minutes later.

After 90 minutes followed by extra time, the scoreline stayed the same, leading to the penalty shootout which the German side conquered and ultimately won the trophy.

Despite the valiant efforts from van Bronckhorst’s players, one figure, in particular, failed to show up and deliver when it really mattered and let his manager down as a result.

Starting on the right-wing, 24-year-old Scott Wright failed to deliver the sort of performance that is required to win a top European final.

With just 24 touches of the ball and 11 passes made, the winger ended up having fewer touches than Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor (51).

In those 24 touches, the Scotsman barely had any attacking or defensive input on the game before he was taken off by Van Bronckhorst at the 74th-minute mark to be replaced by Fashion Sakala.

From an attacking point of view, the winger failed to register even one shot at goal as well as failing to make one cross or successful dribble attempt.

In a defensive regard, as well as not making even one tackle or interception in addition to only winning 33% of the duels he was involved in, he arguably could have done more to prevent the cross coming in that led to Frankfurt’s goal.

This display ultimately earned Wright an underwhelming overall match rating of 6.5/10 from SofaScore, making him the lowest-rated Rangers player that started the game.

Sky Sports also picked up on his disappointing performance by saying that he “didn’t overly trouble the Frankfurt defence,” as well as saying that he “had to do better to stop the cross for the equaliser.”

Taking all of this into account, while the blame for the defeat should not solely be laid at Wright’s feet, everyone connected to the club would have undoubtedly been hoping that he could have had more of an impact during his time on the pitch.

With the Ibrox side now having just one more chance to get their hands on some silverware this season when they take on Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup on Saturday, a big question will have now emerged over whether the Rangers boss decides to start Wright again or not.

In other news: Forget Aribo: “Astonishing” 93-touch Rangers gem who “eats up ground” was the standout

Sunderland are interested in Birmingham City starlet Jobe Bellingham, the younger brother of Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham. 

The lowdown

The younger Bellingham still plays for Birmingham City, where his sibling made also made his breakthrough. Dortmund agreed a fee that could rise beyond £30million to recruit Jude from St Andrew’s, and the Blues even retired the player’s number 22 shirt.

Jobe, 16, made his Championship debut against Preston in January and also played the final half-hour on the last day of the season against Blackburn Rovers.

An attacking midfielder who can also play out wide, he too has been linked with Dortmund.

The latest

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope broke the transfer news on Monday as Sunderland ‘explore [an] ambitious move’ for Bellingham.

They apparently ‘invited’ the player and his family to the Stadium of Light for a ‘recent home game’.

Hope stresses that Sunderland will win have to win promotion to the Championship for the deal to be viable.

The verdict

Bellingham’s first-team chances have been limited, but he’s underlined his potential at youth level.

He’s scored five goals in nine matches in the Under-18 Premier League, and that’s helped to earn him 13 appearances at Under-23 level, as well as eight caps for England’s U17s. (via Transfermarkt).

Tellingly, he’s already valued at £450,000 even though he’s still so young and has barely featured at the senior level.

Can Sunderland compete if top clubs like Dortmund are sniffing around too? Well, they may have a key advantage.

As Hope points out, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was previously the academy director at Birmingham and enjoys a close relationship with the player’s parents – Mark and Denise Bellingham – given the role he played in Jude’s development.

Sunderland hope that this connection will be key.

In other news, The Black Cats risk losing this key figure. 

Aston Villa are planning to offer forward Jesse Lingard a contract this summer with the 29-year-old set to leave Manchester United next month as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract.

What’s the story?

According to reports, via Birmingham Live, the Englishman is a summer target for Villa as Steven Gerrard looks to bolster his squad in his first summer transfer window in charge of the West Midlands club.

Lingard had enjoyed an excellent half-season on loan at West Ham United last season where he scored nine goals and registered five assists in 16 appearances and was labelled as “phenomenal” by TalkSPORT’s Adrian Durham.

However, since returning to United, the 29-year-old has been offered little game time under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, starting just twice in the Premier League.

Villa must sign Lingard

Despite a cruel end to a long Manchester United career, there is no doubt that Lingard is still a talented Premier League winger.

Villa could still finish as high as seventh and as low as 15th meaning that their final four matches will be vital in deciding what sort of a proposition they will be to players they look to sign over the summer.

What is for certain though is that Gerrard will be looking for extra quality from out wide with neither big money signings Emi Buendia (£38m) nor Leon Bailey (£25m) making the desired impact at Villa Park.

Buendia has shown glimpses of brilliance but has scored just three goals in the Premier League this term, alongside registering six assists.

As for Bailey, the Jamaican’s first season in England has been injury-hit and thus the winger has managed to start just seven league matches.

Both were brought in in the attempt to replace the goal contributions of Jack Grealish who departed for Manchester City. However, Lingard alone could potentially come close.

In his final season as a Villa player, Grealish scored seven goals and registered 12 assists in 27 appearances. That averages at a goal contribution every 1.42 matches whilst at West Ham, Lingard’s average was slightly better at 1.14.

Moreover, on a free transfer, signing the £80k-per-week ace would be a bargain given his talent and experience. It would certainly make sense for Villa to swoop for the winger.

AND in other news: Lange now plotting AVFC bid for “brilliant” £15m destroyer, could be bye-bye Sanson