Tottenham Hotspur have pulled out of a deal to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal in a major transfer twist, according to A Bola.

Tottenham finished in 17th position for the second successive Premier League season, finishing above London rivals West Ham United in the final relegation spot this term.

The Lewis Family have already put out a statement saying the 2025-26 campaign cannot be repeated, and so big changes are expected to the squad in the next few months to ensure that Roberto De Zerbi has a squad capable of improving and challenging much higher up in the Premier League standings.

Having had Champions League matches this season, it may well be a blessing in disguise for De Zerbi and his players to have no European football this time around.

Manchester United found themselves in a similar situation this season and ended up finishing third, given their clearer calendar.

De Zerbi will be dreaming of following in the Red Devils’ footsteps next time around, but he will also know that his team must look stronger at the start of next season than it did at the end of the current campaign.

One of the Italian’s first decisions will be deciding the future of the club’s loan players.

Tottenham ‘Drop Out of Race’ to Sign Joao Palhinha

According to A Bola, Tottenham’s €30m buy option for the Portugal international expires on Monday following his season-long loan spell from Bayern Munich.

A deal was still not guaranteed if the 30-year-old was against joining Spurs, and now the decision has been taken out of their hands, according to the report from Portugal.

They state that the former Fulham star is intent on moving back to his homeland for personal reasons, with Sporting Lisbon leading the race to bring Palhinha back to Portuguese shores.

Sporting are now set to enter into negotiations with the midfielder’s parent club, with the deal likely to be another loan but with a fixed fee and mandatory purchase option.

Joao Palhinha Snub a Blow for Roberto De Zerbi

The news that Palhinha is unlikely to be wearing a Tottenham shirt again will be particularly disappointing news for De Zerbi.

The Italian has said twice in recent weeks that he would love to have the Portugal international as one of his key players at Spurs next season, but it appears as though those fades are hoping.

While the 30-year-old didn’t start De Zerbi’s first three matches in charge of the club, his crucial winning goal as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers saw him instated into the starting XI for the final four games of the season.

Despite being a deep-lying midfielder, Palhinha popped up with another crucial decisive goal in the final day win over Everton, showing what a big-game player he can be.

Tottenham aren’t short of midfield options but De Zerbi was clearly a huge fan of Palhinha and that would suggest that the Italian will want to sign an alternative to him in the coming weeks.

LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever. The 41-year-old entered the NBA at just 18 years of age and has spent the last 23 years as one of the biggest stars in the league. His sustained excellence at the highest level has been remarkable, while his longevity is unlike anything basketball fans have witnessed before.

The Los Angeles Lakers star has scored more points than any player in NBA history, owns the record for the most consecutive games with a point scored and is a four-time league MVP. Simply put, he has overwhelmed opponents throughout his career and, with his rare blend of power, quickness and athleticism, very few players have found a way to stop him on the hardwood.

That doesn’t mean his career has been without challenges, though. James revealed the toughest defender he ever faced, and it is a name long associated with physicality and defensive excellence.

LeBron James Named Metta Sandiford-Artest as His Best Defender

During an episode of the ‘Mind the Game‘ podcast alongside Steve Nash, a fan asked LeBron and the Hall of Fame point guard to identify the best defenders they had ever competed against. The King wasted little time before selecting Metta Sandiford-Artest. Previously known as Ron Artest and later Metta World Peace, the 45-year-old spent 18 seasons in the NBA and suited up for franchises including the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers.

He is perhaps best remembered for his stint with the Indiana Pacers, where he captured the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He was also a central figure in the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace’ incident, which involved a confrontation with Detroit Pistons fans. Throughout his career, he became renowned for his toughness, intensity and willingness to do the dirty work on defence.

Speaking about Sandiford-Artest, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports, LeBron said:

Check out the full episode below:

That is certainly significant praise from a player who is widely considered one of the greatest in NBA history. Since being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has spent the majority of his life in the league and gone head-to-head with some of the finest defenders basketball has ever produced.

He has faced the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Gary Payton and Ben Wallace, players widely regarded among the best defenders ever, but it was Sandiford-Artest who left the biggest mark on the Lakers forward. A mark that remains with James even nine years after the former small forward called time on his playing career.

Manchester United want to add more firepower to their squad this summer, and they are ready to make a move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, according to CaughtOffside.

Man United were the third-highest scorers in the Premier League this season, only scoring two fewer than champions Arsenal, but it appears as though club chiefs want to further boost the frontline next season, especially with the return of Champions League football to Old Trafford.

Much of the talk in recent weeks has been around the new midfielders the Red Devils could add to their squad, with up to three new faces expected to arrive in that position should Manuel Ugarte follow Casemiro through the exit door.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that only something ‘crazy’ will stop United completing a deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson, while they continue to be linked with a host of other midfielders as they look to complete a major rebuild.

Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson is their top target, but a deal is unlikely because of Forest’s transfer fee demands and the fact that the player’s preference would be to join Manchester City instead.

Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes are among their other targets.

Man United Make Dusan Vlahovic Big-Name Target

According to CaughtOffside, United are also ready to complete a ‘major attacking rebuild’ this summer, and they have five strikers on their radar ahead of the transfer window opening on June 15.

While Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen is the ‘dream’ target, they have also identified Juventus centre-forward Dusan Vlahovic as another big-name player on their shortlist.

Benjamin Sesko is currently leading the line at Old Trafford with the likes of Bryan Mbeumo playing back-up, but the club are said to want stronger depth and different profiles alongside the impressive Slovenian.

United are likely to look to replace Joshua Zirkzee in the squad, with the Netherlands international being linked with a move back to Serie A.

Dusan Vlahovic Faces Uncertain Summer

With his contract due to expire at the end of next month, Vlahovic is about to be one of the hottest free agents on the market.

CaughtOffside claim that should his exit from Juventus be confirmed in the coming weeks, then United won’t be alone in their pursuit of the Serbia international.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also keen on the 26-year-old, who has scored 68 goals in 168 matches for Juve since joining them in 2022.

One of the potential hurdles to any deal for the big striker is his salary, with Vlahovic currently earning around £400,000-a-week at the Allianz Stadium.

He will need to reduce that wage significantly if he wants to secure a move to most clubs in Europe, including United, who are looking to offload more high earners this summer following the departure of Casemiro, with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford also on huge wages at Old Trafford.