Tottenham look to step up their efforts to land a Premier League midfielder Roberto De Zerbi is pushing to land. Spurs are in the midst of a big recruitment drive as they look to go from bottom half-dwellers to European qualification candidates in the space of just a few months.

De Zerbi is being firmly backed by the Spurs board as they look to live up to their promises of changes to what has been a failing approach despite a recent Europa League title. It has become clear that this squad is in need of an overhaul, and it looks as though De Zerbi will get the opportunity to lead it.

A number of targets have been linked with Spurs as they look to add to the captures of Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson, and it seems one of the more glamorous names may actually be on the table.

Romano’s Tonali to Tottenham transfer update

Tottenham have been heavily linked with a move for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali in recent days, and it seems they have a credible chance of landing the ‘monster’ Italian due to a De Zerbi factor.

“Yeah, I see a lot of excitement on social media on this one from Tottenham fans, of course. I maintain my update, my news,” Fabrizio Romano reported on his YouTube channel. “So, first of all, Tottenham are in conversations with Sandro Tonali’s camp. Second, Sandro Tonali wants to go to Tottenham, and so he’s keen on the move, and I don’t think it’s going to be any problem with the player financially or in terms of contract. Also, because the connection with the De Zerbi is very clear, as I was mentioning in a video yesterday, they are both from Brescia, so the connection is very, very good. And also important to mention on this one about Sandro Tonali, soon Tottenham will reach out to Newcastle to start conversations. Then the price is going to be the point.

“Let’s see, I think this is going to be around €100million (£86.6m), maybe something more than the initial request. And then let’s see the conversation, but De Zerbi is pushing, and so let’s wait for the club-to-club negotiations. But Tottenham are interested.”

Tonali the next Pirlo

Spurs are looking for a midfielder who can control the ball and the tempo of the game, and according to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, Tonali has those metronomic qualities. He said back in 2024: “When I first saw Sandro play, there were definite links to Pirlo, without a doubt – and it’s not just the hair. There’s more to it than that. He’s definitely got those similar qualities in terms of build and style, but I think the thing that sets Sandro apart from anyone else was he could do all of those things technically and tactically, and looked really good, but it’s his athleticism as well, his ability to run.

“We’ve seen that in recent games from a defensive viewpoint now more than an attacking viewpoint, where he’s sprinting to put out fires for us, nicking balls, intercepting balls, using his athleticism to track runners. He’s been excellent in that respect and think that’s really helped the team. Yes, there are the obvious ones [comparisons] in terms of his technique and his passing and everything else, but I think that’s the thing that sets him apart.”

Liverpool chiefs are already working on the club’s next signing after agreeing a shock deal to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The majority of Liverpool transfer links so far this summer have included wingers or midfielders, and they completed a transfer hijack out of everywhere to bring in one of the former, in Munoz.

Newcastle United thought they were about to land the £34m Spain international, but the Reds have swooped in to agree a deal instead, with the player set to sign a six-year contract at Anfield after completing a medical.

The 22-year-old becomes the first signing of the Andoni Iraola era on Merseyside, but he is unlikely to be the last as Liverpool target another winger, this time to play on the right, with Munoz preferring to feature from the left.

In addition, one report claims that the Reds will also target a new central midfielder, right-back and potentially even a centre-back, even though Jeremy Jacquet will officially arrive at Anfield this summer after they agreed a deal for the French defender in the January transfer window.

Liverpool have squad gaps to fill, following the exits of Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate, who has just been announced as a new Real Madrid player.

Romano: Liverpool ‘Working’ on Next Signing

via Reuters

Liverpool may have agreed a deal to sign Munoz, but they are still looking to recruit their long-term Salah replacement on the right, meaning another winger is set to arrive at Anfield.

The Reds have been heavily linked with a move for RB Leizpig forward Yan Diomande in recent weeks, with the 19-year-old exploding onto the World Cup scene with a man-of-the-match performance in the Ivory Coast’s win against Ecuador in their opening group game.

The Merseysiders are also admirers of Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, who could be allowed to leave if the Champions League holders bring in a new attacker, with the Ligue 1 giants incidentally also keen on Diomande.

Issuing an update on his YouTube channel on Liverpool’s transfer business after their deal to sign Munoz out of nowhere, Romano said:

“It’s important to mention, many Liverpool fans are asking me after I dropped this bomba on my channels, does this mean that the deal is closing doors to signing another winger?

“My answer is no. My answer is that in the plan of Richard Hughes, they are doing an excellent job, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, in planning their signings and keeping things a secret until we have the exclusive bomb, like today, but they are working behind the scenes also to add at least one more winger to the squad.”

Which Winger Will Liverpool Sign?

Gonzalo Fuentes via Reuters

Unless Liverpool pull another surprise rabbit out of the hat, then it does appear to be a two-horse race between Diomande and Barcola as the club’s next big winger signing.

GIVEMESPORT sources understand that Liverpool are really pushing to complete a deal for Diomande, having made progress on the player side of negotiations.

Club chiefs believe that he wants to move to Anfield, despite interest from PSG, but the major hurdle is Leipzig’s asking price, with the Bundesliga outfit demanding in excess of £100m for the teenager.

Meanwhile, as contract negotiations between PSG and Barcola continue to stall, the likelihood of him leaving the Parc des Princes this summer rises.

Arsenal are also keen on the France international, who scored in his nation’s opening win against Senegal at the 2026 World Cup.

Liverpool appear to be edging towards Diomande, but if they are unable to agree a deal, then don’t be surprised if they pivot to Barcola instead.

The end goal at every World Cup is simple: finish the tournament with your hands on the trophy. Very few footballers will ever be able to say they’ve won the sport’s ultimate prize, with Brazil (five), Germany and Italy (four), and Argentina (three) accounting for the majority of World Cup triumphs throughout history.

Yet, even fewer players will end their careers having won the Golden Boot. Awarded to the tournament’s top goalscorer, it’s one of football’s most coveted individual honours and presents a unique set of challenges. Unlike lifting the trophy, winning the Golden Boot isn’t solely dependent on the strength of the team around you – a clinical striker can carve out their own place in World Cup folklore, regardless of how far their nation goes.

Heading into the 2026 World Cup, there’s no shortage of elite forwards capable of filling their boots. From established superstars that have won it before, to emerging talents, the race to finish as the tournament’s leading marksman looks as open as ever. But to save ourselves some of the guesswork, we’ve turned to AI to estimate which players have the best chance of taking home the Golden Boot.

3 Goals

Phil Noble via Reuters

Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz are in the same boat at the moment – they seem capable of turning out for their country, while Liverpool fans have seldom seen them provide the goods at Anfield over the last 12 months. While the former was a shared recipient of the Euro 2024 Golden Boot, the latter was unfortunate not to have got on the scoresheet in Germany’s 7-1 opening win over Curacao.

He did get an assist, and he is projected to add three goals to his tally somewhere later into the tournament. That’s the same amount predicted for his compatriot Jamal Musiala, as well as Brazil’s Rodrygo. Carlo Ancelotti has a lot to ponder between now and his side’s second match against Haiti, and figuring out how to get the bets out of his attack following a 1-1 draw with Morocco will be top of his to-do list.

Elsewhere, Rafael Leao is also tipped for three goals this tournament. He didn’t start Portugal’s first match and, when he came on, he looked a shell of his usual confident self. Loose touches and no attacking intent suggest he could struggle this summer, but he must pick his head up and kick on if he is to audition himself for a move away from AC Milan as he intends ahead of next season.

4 Goals

AI believes six players will finish the tournament on four goals, which would represent a respectable return given that some nations will play only three matches before bowing out at the end of the group stage.

Antoine Griezmann is a player that always seems to score with ease for France, no matter what his club form might suggest he’s capable of – meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez is the complete opposite, and will be hoping to finally turn up for Argentina and provide his other attacking teammates with an extra arrow to their quiver.

Julian Alvarez is next up, while Cristiano Ronaldo could probably count himself lucky that he will reach the four-goal tally at the rate he’s going. Against DR Congo, during which Portugal drew their opener 1-1, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner struggled to make an impact, having now gone 10 consecutive major tournament games without scoring for his country.

Rounding off this group is Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham. The England duo are certainly better known for their creation, with a certain other Three Lions being tasked of scoring the majority of Thomas Tuchel’s side’s goals – but that should take nothing away from the fact they are still capable of huge moments under pressure, with Bellingham’s bicycle kick at Euro 2024 the ultimate evidence.

5-7 Goals

Lionel Messi, still among the best footballers in the world, needed just three goals to draw level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 – and he achieved that in his first match, scoring a hat-trick against Algeria. AI predicts he will only manage another three goals for the rest of the summer, though, which would put him behind one other players.

With it being predicted that Messi feathers the throttle after such a fast start, it’s surprising that projections expect the same from Harry Kane, with four more goals from him seeing him finish on the same tally, bringing his season total to a stunning 73 goals for both club and country.

Kylian Mbappe has been up there with the very best players in recent World Cups, having helped France win it in 2018, before scoring a hat-trick in the final four years later. He’s predicted to notch seven goals this time around, which would put him out in front in the race for the Golden Boot.

Erling Haaland, noted down by AI as a ‘goal machine’ follows in fourth with five goals – Norway’s opening match against Iraq was expected to help him reach that benchmark, and it proved correct with the Manchester City frontman scoring twice. The last player in this section, also on five goals, is Vinicius Jr, with the likes of Lamine Yamal completely missing out after AI updated its predictions.