Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi says that the club have completed 60% of their project in the transfer market, which could suggest that there are still four more signings to come if the Italian is solely talking about incomings.

Tottenham have of course brought in six players to date, which would match up to the 60% figure, while it is widely known that he wants at least two more attacking players to arrive in north London before the September 1 deadline.

Spurs’ top attacking target was considered to be Manchester City winger Savinho, who club chiefs will hope to finally land after a year-long pursuit of the Brazilian.

There are some suggestions that a deal is likely to happen, after the 22-year-old told City he wanted to leave and join a new club, once the Premier League runners-up sign a replacement for the South American forward.

It was expected that he was the likely next arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, especially after another target in Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi was ruled out for up to four months through injury, but De Zerbi’s latest hint suggests otherwise.

The Italian told reporters in Sydney that a transfer ‘Bomba’ is on the way for another forward who isn’t Savinho, and he said he ‘hoped’ it is close to being done.

Tottenham Hold Talks Over Ferran Torres Transfer

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According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are already looking at alternatives to Junior Kroupi after the Frenchman’s injury issues, including Barcelona’s Ferran Torres.

The Spain international became a global superstar after scoring the winning goal against Argentina in the World Cup final, yet there is a chance he could leave the Camp Nou this summer.

The 26-year-old could be available this summer should he fail to agree new contract terms with the La Liga champions, and Spurs would relish the opportunity to bring him back to the Premier League after his previous spell with Manchester City.

The report says that PSG are advancing towards an agreement for the Spaniard, but Tottenham have also held discussions with intermediaries regarding the attacker’s situation, and they continue to keep a close eye on developments.

Torres Would be a ‘Bomba’ Tottenham Transfer

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De Zerbi’s smirk when he was delivering the ‘Bomba’ line to journalists suggested that this next signing will be an exciting one, and Torres certainly fits the bill.

The 26-year-old plays for Barcelona and has made more than 200 appearances for the Catalan giants, scoring 65 goals and registering a further 23 assists.

Of course, he has become an even bigger world star after his extra-time winner against Argentina in the World Cup final, as Spain lifted the famous trophy.

Torres has only made 28 Premier League appearances previously during his time with Man City, but he showed his pedigree with nine goals and three assists.

Tottenham will also harbour hopes of returning to the Champions League as soon as possible, and Torres bring an impressive record in that competition too, with 18 goals in 50 outings.

Let’s see if Spurs can get a deal over the line in the coming weeks, or if the incoming ‘Bomba’ signing is somebody else.

Manchester United are looking to take advantage of a managerial departure to strengthen in a key area. The Red Devils are likely to be busy over the coming weeks as they look to fill key gaps and give Michael Carrick the best chance of kicking on from the progress made under his interim reign last season.

Carrick has already been handed two new midfielders in Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, while a third midfield signing is likely. United may also sign an attacker, but arguably no position is more important than the left-back position, given the lack of depth there. with Luke Shaw the only senior option on the left.

Man Utd preparing to make Hall move

According to TeamTalk, Man Utd are now preparing to make their opening move to sign Newcastle United defender Lewis Hall after big developments at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe has seemingly decided to walk away from his job at St James’ Park just weeks before the start of the season.

Howe has seen Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali sold this summer, and it is looking increasingly likely that Bruno Guimaraes will join Arsenal. That has likely led to frustration aplenty, but the reasons for his departure will become clearer.

Whatever the case, Newcastle are now looking for a new manager, and United reportedly sense it is the right time to strike as they look to land left-back Hall to add competition and depth to the left side of their defence.

Hall is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, feeling as though he has a clear route to becoming the main starter, even if Shaw remains that role initially. Shaw has a colourful injury past and is now 31 years of age.

There has been talk of an asking price between £50million and £55million, but the Magpies have lost a lot of talent this summer, so that could change. United technical director Jason Wilcox is said to be personally driving the interest having been impressed by Hall’s versatility at the back.

Howe departure could be a major factor for Hall

Eddie Howe said of Hall last year: “You saw Lewis Hall’s technical ability, considering again the length of time he’s been out and he’s one that hadn’t trained with us, so we hadn’t really seen him during the international break. It was a great performance from him.”

Interestingly, Hall has been very complimentary of Howe, saying: “He’s been a massive part of my career so far. He’s definitely one of the most important managers I’ve had in terms of my development.

“Eddie’s a manager that has taken a lot of stuff from my game and improved it more than I ever thought he could do at this stage in my career, if I’m honest. The confidence and belief that he’s shown in me… I’m obviously really grateful to him for that.”

With Howe now leaving, Hall could end up pushing for a move, and United may be relying on that factor.

US Soccer have responded to CONCACAF’s decision to reject FIFA and Gianni Infantino’s plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup.

One of the biggest scandals in the sport’s history has unfolded this week after Infantino’s proposal leaked and it’s been met with huge backlash. The FIFA President sent a letter to all 211 national member associations regarding a new commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The idea involved selling a minority stake in the World Cup, with FIFA working with JPMorgan to raise $4.2 billion from private investors. Infantino fronted the scheme, and US President Donald Trump’s administration was reportedly approached about the deal.

USA Respond to CONCACAF Decision

REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

UEFA were the first sporting body to strongly oppose Infantino’s proposal and a meeting has resulted in their nations threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions. That includes the 2030 World Cup, which is set to be co-hosted in Spain and Portugal.

CONCACAF likewise held a meeting with its member associations and released a statement responding to the plans. They have rejected the idea but haven’t mentioned a potential boycott.

The USA are a member of CONCACAF and they have confirmed that they back the decision, writing in response to the statement:

“U.S. Soccer stands with Concacaf and its members.”

Trump and Infantino have grown close since the World Cup was confirmed to be co-hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada back in 2018. Their relationship has been called out by many in the sport, especially after FIFA opted to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban after receiving a contentious red card.

With Infantino’s relationship with Trump taking centre stage throughout this summer’s World Cup, there had been plenty of concerns over the president’s potential involvement in the FFE scheme. The plan is backed by Joshua Kushner’s investment fund and Kushner’s brother-in-law, Trump’s son-in-law.

Infantino Handed Huge Setback

REUTERS/Henry Romero

With US investors such as Thrive Capital and JPMorgan backing Infantino’s scheme, US Soccer’s statement is a major setback for the FIFA president. Not only have 96 national federations now opposed his proposal, but the country which has been the main focus for the private equity venture has pushed back.

The likes of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL usually align with FIFA on commercial expansion, so this is hugely significant. It puts a ton of pressure on Infantino, who has come under immense criticism before, during and following a controversial World Cup.

UEFA have reportedly been pushing for Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to run against Infantino at the next election. It’s clear that he is losing the support not just in Europe but on a global scale.