Tottenham are looking to make some quick additions in the summer transfer market, as the squad rebuild gets underway in very swift fashion.
Spurs fans were left frustrated throughout the 2025/26 campaign, having been in real danger of being relegated from the Premier League in shocking circumstances.
The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi signalled some much-needed change, however, as the Lilywhites avoided the drop on the final day of the campaign, registering back-to-back 17th-placed finishes in the league.
While there may be some mitigating factors, there are no excuses to be had, as the new Tottenham head coach ushered in a new era by demanding that changes need to be made over the summer transfer window.
One area that needs clear reinforcement at Tottenham is the midfield, with a lack of on-the-ball quality hampering the side throughout the recent campaigns.
Several options have been linked with a move to North London as a result, but the latest is a player that De Zerbi is very familiar with from his time elsewhere.
That is Matt O’Riley, as Football Insider reports that Tottenham are lining up a move for the Danish international amid uncertainty over his future at Brighton.
The Seagulls paid £25 million to sign the 25-year-old from Celtic back in 2024, but injury issues ruined his first Premier League campaign with the club.
O’Riley has since found it tough to get back into the mix, which resulted in a loan move to Marseille for the first half of last season, where he played under De Zerbi 25 times, registering one goal and six assists.
His return to Brighton for the second half of the campaign only resulted in 25 minutes for the club in the Premier League, signalling his possible exit.
In O’Riley, there is a player there who can make an impact, having previously been praised as a “genius” during his time at Celtic.
Whether that translates to performances at Tottenham remains to be seen, but with the report claiming that De Zerbi is keen on a reunion, there is a player who clearly knows what it takes to play under the manager.
Tottenham’s Midfield Depth For Next Season
The Tottenham midfield is due a shake-up in the summer transfer window, given the difficulties that the team have faced with their quality in-possession.
Beyond them, there is a mix of physicality and promise available, and the job of the Tottenham recruitment team is to find the players who can glue it all together.
Tottenham Central Midfielders
Player
Age
Contract expiry
Rodrigo Bentancur
28
2029
Lucas Bergvall
20
2031
Archie Gray
20
2030
Pape Matar Sarr
23
2030
Conor Gallagher
26
2031
If the club are to bolster those ranks, then there may need to be a player who makes way to ensure that there isn’t a bottleneck of players fighting for limited minutes.
Benjamin Šeško opens up on how his Manchester United transfer happened, why the club had wanted him for years, and why he finally felt ready to take on the challenge.
Ben Jacobs reveals the latest transfer updates on Enzo, Morgan Rogers and Benjamin Sesko, with exclusive insight from Sesko on life at Manchester United.
Sophie Evans is joined by Ben Jacobs on Market Madness to break down the biggest stories in football, from the latest transfer market movement to a huge Arsenal season under Mikel Arteta.
Broadcaster and former Arsenal player Adrian Clarke joins to preview Arsenal’s Champions League final and reflect on a title-winning campaign, while Ben tackles the week’s biggest transfer questions and answers your mailbag queries.
Plus, Benjamin Sesko speaks exclusively about his first season at Manchester United, and Porto manager Francesco Farioli reflects on a title-winning campaign and his growing reputation across Europe.
Marcus Rashford is facing an uncertain future as there are doubts over whether the England international will make a permanent switch to Barcelona this summer.
The Manchester United forward joined the Blaugrana last summer on a season-long loan, impressing with 14 goals and 14 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions.
The 28-year-old helped Barcelona on the way to becoming La Liga title winners, filling in on either wing in the absence of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
While a permanent move for Rashford appeared possible, that has since become complicated with other transfer activity, which is now creating doubt over his future at the Nou Camp.
With that in mind, Barcelona have seemingly made their final decision on signing the forward permanently.
That doesn’t stop the possibility of negotiating better terms, or perhaps even another loan deal, but it appears as though that ship may well have sailed.
According to local outlet RAC 1, Rashford isn’t in Barcelona’s plans and any possibility of a return will only happen if the club fail to land other targets in the transfer market.
With the strength of Raphinha and Yamal also in the frontline, it means there may not be room for Rashford, who may have to go back to the drawing board.
It’s a blow for the England international, who seemed to enjoy his time in Spain, as well as a conundrum for Manchester United to consider in the market.
Where Could Marcus Rashford Go Next?
There’s a new challenge for Rashford to consider this summer when it comes to his options, following an impressive showing in La Liga over the past campaign.
The winger will have to think once again about his next steps, which could include a return to Manchester United to impress under new permanent boss Michael Carrick.
Having shown plenty of quality before, and playing under a manager who will know how to get the best out of him, it’s an option that could be attractive.
The difficulty comes in the size of his deal, and whether both parties would be willing to re-open a chapter that appeared to be closed 18 months ago.
Fabrizio Romano has shared a big update on the future of Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
In terms of other clubs, there will no doubt be some interest in the Premier League if he wishes to stay in England, with a return to Aston Villa potentially on the cards, while any of the big clubs will at least take a cursory glance at a move.
Elsewhere in Europe there may be challenges, especially when it comes to financial power, as sides in Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga could find it tough to put together a competitive package.
That said, the allure of a move to somewhere new could help reduce the figures involved, but it will all be determined by what Rashford wants to do next.
