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Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Tottenham Hotspur would have won their Champions League tie if they had James Maddison in their team.

The Lowdown: Spurs need wholesale changes

Spurs have now scored just four goals in their last six matches, drawing blanks in four of those games – and it all seems to be getting too much for some Tottenham fans.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Conte has a very strong chance of leaving Spurs come the end of the season, but if these poor performances and results persist, Daniel Levy may be forced into an earlier change.

Given Tottenham’s struggles in the final third, they clearly need help to create chances for players such as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, which is where Premier League regular Maddison could soon come into the equation.

The Latest: Maddison could change Tottenham

After seeing Spurs register two shots on target against AC Milan, Agbonlahor touted Maddison – who’s been linked with Tottenham in the past – as someone who could’ve helped them win the game against the Italian champions.

He said: “You look at Spurs and Son’s playing within himself, Kulusevski comes inside all the time, they’re missing another winger who can get at a player, and, badly missing a number 10.

“Put Maddison in that team last night, they probably win the game.”

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The Verdict: Tottenham could go big in the summer

If Spurs were to try and land someone of Maddison’s ability, they may have to shell out ‘over £100m’ on the attacking midfielder according to Graeme Souness, but that price tag could well be justified if he was to hit the ground running at Spurs.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, Maddison has been able to register 47 goal involvements in the Premier League alone, so he’s starting to show consistency and a level of maturity that suggests he could be a gamechanger.

It’s not just on the pitch where Maddison could help Spurs, but his infectious and ‘cheeky chappy’ personality could be what Tottenham need to get some life and creativity into the team, as it appears to have been sucked out of them under Conte.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has admitted to being wrong about Alexander Isak after he starred in Newcastle United’s win last weekend.

The Lowdown: Proving the doubters wrong

After arriving in the summer for a club-record fee of £63m, a lot may have been expected of Isak to take Newcastle to the very top, but with just a handful of league starts under his belt, it certainly hasn’t been easy for the Sweden international.

Isak has had to deal with several injury setbacks during his short spell on Tyneside thus far, but he’s still been able to showcase what he’s capable of despite his limited minutes, having netted four goals within his six starts in the Premier League.

He was given the nod ahead of Callum Wilson against Wolves and he certainly didn’t let Eddie Howe down, earning the Player of the Match award and netting the first goal of the match with a brilliant header.

The Latest: Isak could now be the man for Newcastle

After taking in Isak’s stunning St James’ Park display on Sunday, Waugh admitted on Pod on the Tyne that Isak has proved him wrong in terms of what he’s capable of against teams who will naturally sit deeper against the Magpies.

He said: “It was an excellent performance. I’ll hold my hands up – I doubted last week whether this was the game for Alexander Isak; I thought that to get him in so he could play the runs down the channels that he does, one of the recent away games was maybe the time to do that.

“But I didn’t know if Wolves at St James’ would be; I thought that they would sit deep and he would maybe struggle in that regard, and I was completely wrong and he was excellent.”

The Verdict: Huge selection dilemma for Howe

The fact that Wilson has been the undisputed first-choice striker since he walked through the doors at Newcastle may well have led to his recent slump in form, as he’d perhaps got complacent, though he has arguably not had competition as good as Isak on Tyneside.

But after being dropped against Wolves, it may well make Wilson realise that he’s indeed competing against an international striker in the form of Isak, who can perform against the bigger teams such as Liverpool as well as lesser teams such as Wolves and Bournemouth.

Isak will be hoping that he can build on his monster performance against Wolves, where he looked ‘razor-sharp’, this Friday away from home  – while there should be no doubt about him starting, or it could shatter his confidence.

Newcastle United fans have been left fuming by the news that Eddie Howe is set to make Scott McTominay a transfer target in the summer.

The Lowdown: McTominay targeted

The Telegraph have reported that Newcastle are set to make a move for McTominay in the next transfer window, as Howe believes the Manchester United midfielder has the right attributes to succeed in his system.

With the Scot struggling for game time at Old Trafford, the Magpies now hope that his current employers will soften their stance on allowing him to leave in the summer, having been unwilling to sanction his departure back in January.

The Scot would be utilised in a deep lying role to shield the back four, should he complete a move to St. James’ Park, giving Bruno Guimaraes the freedom to play further forward.

The Latest: Newcastle fans react

While the Newcastle manager is clearly a fan of the central midfielder, the fans have not reacted well to the news that he is likely to be one of the club’s summer targets.

They said:

“He doesn’t improve our squad as he’s no better than current our midfielders, we need to be looking at a higher standard if we want to progress.” – @iancr65

“No thanks. A complete nothing player. I’d expect a lot more given the fees being quoted. Hopefully all the noise is just his agent trying to drum up interest, and nothing to do with Newcastle.” – @DoliumV

“We can do better. Especially if we get UCL.” – @GingerPirlo_

“Will never become a CL club by buying rejects from the clubs we are trying to surpass. Really hope this is just media talk.” – @AlexNUFC39

“Doesn’t offer anything more than what Longstaff already does, so underwhelming. Small club mentality taking unwanted players from clubs we want to be competing with.” – @WillyWonderhill“Please no, I thought club was wanting to move forward not stand still.” – @_arrongallagher The Verdict: Worthwhile signing?

It is clear to see why the Newcastle faithful have reacted badly after being linked to the 26-year-old, given that he is not a regular starter for Man United, often featuring as a substitute or being benched so far this season.

However, that is not to say he would not be a decent signing, at least as a back-up option, as he has proven Premier League experience, making 138 appearances in the competition for the Red Devils.

Over the past year, the Scotland international ranks in the 99th percentile for clearances and the 95th for aerials won per 90, compared to other midfielders, indicating that he would be solid defensively for Howe’s side.

If McTominay’s arrival would allow Guimaraes to play further forward, then he could be a savvy signing for Newcastle.

Liverpool have suffered a huge fall from grace over this season so far and Jurgen Klopp will surely be planning for a transformative summer ahead.

The Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League table and struggling to close the gap between themselves and the last Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four, now six points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur.

Not only that, the side have lost their final opportunity to collect some more silverware this season after being knocked out of Europe by Real Madrid earlier this week, as well as falling short in the FA Cup and League Cup.

Indeed, the Merseysiders have tallied up the worst injury record in the entire top flight this season which has hindered Klopp’s ability to maintain some consistency in the starting eleven, however, there is no doubt that the performances on the pitch have failed to meet the high standards Liverpool are renowned for setting under their German boss which has become a cause for concern.

As a result, a positive transformation and squad refresh are desperately needed this summer and Klopp should not hesitate to offload some of the players who have failed to deliver when it matters most.

Should Klopp ditch Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita?

It is no secret that the midfield has become a pressing worry at Anfield with several players set to be out of contract this summer and others coming to the latter stages of their careers.

There has been a lot of inconsistency and injury concerns to multiple midfield players and the powerbrokers on the red side of Merseyside must find some resolve to improve and revive the performances in the centre of the pitch.

Two players who will be out of contract at the end of the season and should not be given an opportunity to extend their stay at Anfield are Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The Liverpool disaster duo – who both earn £120k-per-week – have struggled to make their presence known in the team over the last few seasons with injuries plaguing the pair.

Keita has tallied up a whopping 84 fixtures missed over 18 incidents of injury since he arrived at the club back in 2018, whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain has been unavailable for 88 games on eight separate occasions over his six-year tenure.

In fact, this season both the Liverpool duds have tallied up 13 or fewer appearances across all competitions, further proving their lack of involvement despite being some of the highest-paid players at the club with the likes of Andy Robertson, for example, having a bigger impact on a lower salary.

It is obviously not an ideal scenario to let go of any players for free as FSG’s frugal standpoint on spending can be uncompetitive at the best of times with the other top six clubs.

Nevertheless, freeing up the wage bill will put the club in a great position to offer a more competitive wage to their transfer targets like Jude Bellingham in the summer.

With that being said, this season has been solid proof that it is time to move on from the successful squad of the past and start rebuilding for the next generation to compete at the highest level again.

Arsenal boast a squad bursting with talent at the moment, having been nurtured as part of Mikel Arteta's long-term vision for continued success at this great club.

The Spaniard had predicted such a campaign as this, as they currently sit atop the Premier League and eight points clear. Back in 2021, he correctly proclaimed: "This project is going to go bang"; it seems that the ensuing explosion has sent shockwaves throughout the division.

Few would have expected the Gunners to be in this position after last season's disappointment, where bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur stole the final Champions League spot to resign them to Europa League football.

But it is the red half of north London who seem poised to have the last laugh, as they cruise towards a first league title since 2004.

With plenty of different characters to thank for their imperious form, one such former manager actually deserves more praise than most for his exploits in this charge. After all, it was Unai Emery who signed the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli during his tenure.

How much is Gabriel Martinelli worth?

Both of these youngsters have played key roles in this league campaign, with the French defender having played every minute before his recent injury.

However, it is the mercurial Brazilian who has earned particular praise of late, bouncing back from his missed penalty against Sporting CP to score two important goals in his last two games. These marked his sixth strike in as many appearances, bumping his total tally up to an outstanding 13 for the campaign.

Impressively, he sits level with Bukayo Saka as the club's top scorer in a season that could well go down in history.

The fact that he is just 21 years old only enhances this awe, with his potential now that of a soon-to-be Ballon d'Or challenger. Gary Lineker has suggested that he "will be a world-class player", with editor Fabrizio Neitzke even arguing that he already is.

If the £180k-per-week earner's valuation is anything to go by, he certainly is regarded as one of the most financially impressive assets in the whole game. CIES Football Observatory obviously thinks so, with a reported estimated transfer value of up to €120m (£105m).

With Emery having poached him for just £6m from Ituano in 2019, to witness this growth is almost mesmeric. It is a poetic rise for a youngster with the world at his feet, and this is a figure only set to continue growing as he matures and becomes even more important for the high-flying Gunners.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Kai Havertz is not close to leaving Chelsea in the summer despite his recent comments in the press.

What's the latest on Kai Havertz and Chelsea?

With Premier League football put on hold while the international break took place, the young forward made some interesting comments about his future.

Indeed, with Bayern Munich appointing Thomas Tuchel recently, Havertz was asked about his relationship with the former Chelsea manager.

The German told Sport Bild (via Evening Standard): “Bayern are generally a huge club that it’s hard to say no to as a German player, but my personal goal has always been to play abroad at some point. In England or Spain.

“I had a very good relationship with him and am very grateful for everything.

“You never know what will happen in football. Everything can happen very quickly. Never say never.”

With that being the case, a number of fans understandably would have been left wondering if Havertz was angling for a summer departure.

However, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano was able to ease some of those concerns, explaining that no talks are currently taking place over a possible exit.

He said (3:56): “What I can tell you is that, first of all, Kai Havertz is a very respectful guy. So from what I understand, he's always speaking in a very honest way.

"But at the moment there are no contacts to bring Kai Havertz to any other club, in this case, Bayern.

“So we will see in the summer but, in this moment, Bayern and Chelsea are not speaking about Kai Havertz. Havertz's agents are not speaking about the potential transfer.

"So it's way too early to speak about that. But he was just mentioning his great relationship with Tuchel and his big respect with Bayern.

"But I would say that this is kind of different situation than [Romelu] Lukaku, I see many comparisons. But let me say that also the feeling around Havertz is absolutely different in this case.”

Why would Havertz want to play for Tuchel at Bayern Munich?

Seeing as Havertz managed to score the Champions League-winning goal while playing under Tuchel at Chelsea, it's not hard to see why he might have some fond memories of playing for his fellow German.

Still, the £150k-p/w star might also be enjoying life under Graham Potter right now too. After all, he does have three goals in his last three games for the Blues.

Taking all that into account, it's interesting that Romano refuses to rule out the possibility that Bayern Munich could be an option in the summer.

However, for now, nothing seems set in stone and so an awful lot has to happen before any exit will be viewed as a likely outcome.

Southampton have been handed a transfer boost after learning that Celtic expect Liel Abada to leave the club this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Abada to Southampton?

The Athletic reported that Ruben Selles and the hierarchy sent scouts to watch the 21-year-old back in January as they plot a move to approach him in the summer, and they have already been given the perfect opportunity. The Daily Mail (via the Southern Daily Echo) claims that the Saints are ready to capitalise on the fact that the winger’s talks over an extension have broken down – and the Hoops are now said to be open to offers.

Football Insider has since confirmed that Ange Postecoglou’s forward has rejected a new deal, with sources close to the player revealing that he wants to leave, so there is a possibility that he could be swapping the Scottish Premiership for the Premier League.

Now, the latest report from Football Insider claims that Celtic now “expect” Abada to leave the club at the end of the season and complete a move elsewhere.

The Israel international is looking to secure a switch to a destination where he’ll receive more game time, with Southampton and Crystal Palace both name-checked as holding an “interest”. The Bhoys are “willing” to sanction his sale for a price between £7-10m as they look to make a profit on the £3.6m they paid for him when he arrived from Maccabi Petah Tikva.

Should Southampton splash the cash on Abada?

Celtic resigning themselves to losing Abada and the player personally wanting to depart himself is a huge boost for Selles, so we think Southampton should definitely take advantage of this situation and put their money on the table.

The Glasgow-based star has clocked up 19 goal contributions (12 goals and seven assists) in 41 appearances across all competitions this season, where he’s currently averaging 3.55 shots per game, showing that he’s a constant threat in the final third. Dubbed an “underrated” player by journalist Josh Bunting, the attacker is predominantly a right-winger, but can also play out wide on the left and as a centre-forward, so would add plenty of versatility to the squad on the south coast.

Abada also took home the Scottish Premiership’s Best Young Player award in 2022 and has helped Celtic secure three trophies during his time north of the border, so knows what it takes to be successful – making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper at St Mary’s.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has claimed that goalkeeper Illan Meslier will leave Leeds United this summer even if they avoid relegation.

What's the latest on Illan Meslier and Leeds?

With only eight games left to play in the current Premier League season, the Whites find themselves in a rather precarious situation.

Indeed, after a morale-sapping 5-1 loss at Elland Road to Crystal Palace last weekend, Javi Gracia and his team are stuck just two points and two places above the bottom three.

Unsurprisingly, if Leeds do drop in the Championship, some of their better players will be excepted to leave in the summer to remain in the top flight in England or elsewhere.

While discussing this possibility on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan made the bold claim that goalkeeper Meslier would be leaving either way.

He explained (17:47): “The more fascinating thing is what happens with Illan Meslier?

"I personally believe, even if Leeds stay up, I think he's going to move on. I think obviously if Leeds go to the Championship, I think he's 100 per cent going to move on.”

What has Meslier said about leaving Leeds?

The Frenchman has already gone on the record about his ambitions in the near future and how he can take the next steps to progress his career potentially beyond Elland Road.

Indeed, in an interview with Ouest France he said: “It would be a mistake to project oneself so far. There are many steps before that: a continuation to be sought with Leeds, the Euro Espoirs [U21 championship] in June.

“To succeed in all of this, I have to be good. Because no one will come looking for me if I am not. And if I am asked, I will take the time to think about my future with a clear head.”

And it seems as though the £30k-p/w star is at least doing enough with his Leeds displays to catch the eye of some big English clubs.

For instance, Football Insider reported in March that the Whites want £30m-plus to sell their man amid links to multiple Premier League teams.

While Tottenham Hotspur were named as a potential destination with Frank McAvennie insisting that sort of money would be a more than fair price to pay.

He said: “Spending £30m on a goalkeeper, it is nothing. The big clubs will spend £80-£100m on a goalkeeper. In today’s world it has to be done.“

The primary focus for Arsenal at present will be on maintaining their push for the Premier League title, with Mikel Arteta's men facing a real battle on their hands to fend off Manchester City in the race for that league crown.

Beyond this season, however, the onus will be on sporting director Edu to plot ways to further improve the squad this summer, with the aim to ensure that this season's title charge is no mere anomaly.

One area of the park that the Brazilian may be looking to strengthen is in the centre of the park, despite having only recently brought in experienced gem, Jorginho, from rivals Chelsea on a £12m deal.

According to 90min, one player who could well help to bolster Arteta's options in midfield is Borussia Monchengladbach ace, Florian Neuhaus, with the report suggesting that the north London outfit have done scouting work on the 26-year-old of late.

While the piece does add that the Germany international is not set to be a priority target for the title hopefuls this summer – amid concerns over the playmaker's only relatively recent return from a knee injury – he is set to be someone that the club will 'keep an eye on'.

Would Neuhaus be a good signing for Arsenal?

The hope would be that Neuhaus can ultimately emulate another man to have made the move from Gladbach to the Emirates in the form of Granit Xhaka, with the Switzerland international having emerged as a key figure under Arteta of late after initially arriving on a £30m deal in 2016.

Although the previously polarising ace has endured his fair share of ups and downs during his time in England – having notably been stripped of the captaincy back in 2019 – the 30-year-old is now helping to lead the charge toward the title.

The tenacious left-footer has proved himself to be a real "fighter" in recent years after enjoying an "amazing turnaround" – as per pundit Alan Hutton – having now racked up 291 appearances in all competitions, providing 21 goals and 27 assists in that time.

The 113-cap ace has been particularly impressive so far this term with five goals and five assists in 31 Premier League outings, with pundit Paul Robinson hailing him as a "revelation".

While the aforementioned Neuhaus may not wish to follow quite as turbulent a path as that of Xhaka, the aim would be for the "outstanding" talent – as lauded by teammate Marcus Thuram – to also establish himself as a leading figure in Arteta's side.

Although the £27k-per-week maestro has scored just twice so far this season in what has been an injury-hit campaign, prior to that the 6 foot 1 ace was particularly impressive last term, scoring four goals and providing four assists in the Bundesliga.

The elegant talent also possesses the ability, like Xhaka, to feature in a variety of midfield roles, having taken on a deep-lying berth at times, while also operating in more of a playmaking role on occasions.

That versatility and flexibility would seemingly be appealing to those back in north London, with it set to be another Xhaka-esque masterclass for Arsenal if Edu can pull off a deal.

Newcastle United have tabled a personal offer to Torino defender Perr Schuurs regarding a move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Schuurs to Newcastle?

The Telegraph have reported that Eddie Howe is looking to bolster his ranks with several fresh faces this summer and is particularly targeting a new centre-back, with the 23-year-old having been identified as the potential ideal candidate.

The Dutchman still has another three years to run on his contract with Ivan Juric’s outfit, but being his side’s second best-performing defensive player, has made himself the subject of interest at St. James’ Park.

Sky Sports Italia expert Gianluca Di Marzio claimed on Monday that the Magpies were preparing a bid for the 6 foot 3 colossus and it now looks like PIF have already taken their admiration one step further by making an official approach.

According to Tuttosport (via Torino Granata and Sport Witness), Schuurs has “received” an offer from Newcastle but a move to the northeast currently does not “appeal” to him. Torino’s “exorbitant requests” are believed to have put off all other potential suitors, and whilst this hasn’t affected Howe’s side, it’s stated that the proposals their target has received to date are “not enough” to convince him to leave, meaning that his price tag is expected to have increased by the time next summer comes around.

Should Newcastle make a second offer for Schuurs?

Newcastle are clearly serious about signing Schuurs if they’ve gone as far as to make a personal offer, so despite the fact that they have been rejected on this occasion, it would definitely be worth making another approach.

The £30k-per-week “mountain”, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, is currently averaging 3.3 clearances and 2.1 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, whilst recording 18 tackles won from 39 players challenged this season which is the third-highest success rate in his squad.

The Champions and Europa League participant is also capable of being a threat when it comes to getting on the end of set pieces – registering 37 goal contributions (21 goals and 16 assists) in 221 career appearances before Torino's match against Lazio on Saturday. Indeed, this ability to make a positive impact at both ends of the pitch will make him even more of an attractive prospect to Howe.

Finally, Schuurs will know what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won six trophies during his previous spell at Ajax so would therefore match the winning mentality of the current squad already at St. James' Park.