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Journalist Ryan Taylor has been left feeling ‘sorry’ for defender Japhet Tanganga after how Tottenham boss Antonio Conte’s treated him.

The Lowdown: Tanganga linked with exit…

Over the January transfer window, Spurs’ young centre-back was linked with a move away from N17 as a number of clubs took real interest.

Reports suggested that Tanganga was attracting ‘huge’ attention with as many as seven clubs identifying him as a target last month.

However, Conte opted not to let him go and instead kept hold of the Englishman – potentially to reinforce his squad numbers.

The Latest: Taylor makes Tanganga claim…

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Taylor has claimed that he feels sorry for the 23-year-old – mainly because Conte has ‘halted’ his progression.

He explained:

“Davinson Sanchez has never been good enough. Japhet Tanganga, I feel sorry for because he’s not had a run of games, his progression was really halted”.

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The Verdict: Right verdict?

Tanganga has displayed his sky-high potential on numerous occasions when given the chance, most notably in a stunning performance against Premier League champions Man City last season.

Indeed, the homegrown ace drew praise from Sky pundit Gary Neville for his one-v-one displays against the likes of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling.

Neville branded Tanganga ‘really special’ after that performance under Nuno Espirito Santo with the former Spurs boss also calling him ‘huge’.

Since Conte’s appointment though, and especially this season, Tanganga hasn’t been able to grasp regular minutes – starting just two top flight matches this season.

It is a real shame to see him relegated to the sidelines considering he could’ve gone out on loan last month, but the player will be hoping he can work his way into Conte’s plans.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is determined to complete a takeover at Manchester United, Sky Sports report.

The Lowdown: Bid made

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers for the club before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

The current Manchester United owners have placed a £5bn valuation at Old Trafford, with reports believing both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids are set to be rejected. However, it looks as if Jassim may not go away quietly, with the Qatari extremely keen on completing a deal.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided an ‘update’ regarding Jassim and Manchester United on Tuesday afternoon.

They said ‘it’s understood’ that Jassim is ‘determined to buy’ the club and feels he has made a ‘very good offer’.

They add that he would’ve liked to have attended Wembley for the Red Devils’ Carabao Cup final victory on Sunday but felt it was ‘not appropriate’.

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The Verdict: Long process

Manchester United supporters once again made their feelings known towards the Glazers during the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, so this update on Jassim may well be welcomed by those wanting the current owners out.

However, Avram Glazer’s presence at Wembley could be telling, with some believing that the Americans may stay involved at Old Trafford despite entertaining offers.

Reports elsewhere believe that a takeover could be delayed until the end of the season, so this will be a situation to monitor closely over the coming months, with Jassim potentially involved until the process reaches a conclusion.

Journalist Gregg Evans hailed Emiliano Martinez’s ‘brilliant’ save in Aston Villa’s 0-1 win away to Everton on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Villa draw at Everton

Unai Emery’s faced another important Premier League encounter, making the trip to a Blues side currently threatened by relegation to the Championship.

It wasn’t a classic game, in truth, with both Villa and Everton struggling to consistency produce any real quality and chances coming at a premium.

However, a penalty from Ollie Watkins mid-way through the second period was enough to edge a victory for Villa and clinch all three points for Emery.

The Latest: ‘Brilliant’ Martinez hailed

Taking to Twitter, Evans lauded a standout moment from Martinez during the game – an heroic first half stop to thwart midfielder Amadou Onana during a period of pressure for the away side.

“Brilliant save from Martinez to deny Onana. #AVFC are really under the pump.”

The Verdict: Such a key player

This was another day that highlighted the importance of Martinez to Villa, with the 30-year-old such an influential presence between the sticks.

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His superb save against Everton also showed how vital it is to keep hold of the 26-time capped Argentina international beyond this summer – that wasn’t his only stop – although it may be hard to.

On current form, there are arguably few better ‘keepers in Europe than the £120,000-a-week Martinez, so he would take a huge amount of replacing if he does move on to pastures new.

Today will represent a huge test for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.

Swept aside so easily by Real Madrid at Anfield a week and a half ago, they are actually in vibrant form in the Premier League.

Indeed, the Reds have are unbeaten in their last four league fixtures and have not conceded a single goal in that time.

It marks that 5-2 defeat to Carlo Ancelotti’s men as an anomaly but only if they don’t suffer a similar fate against Manchester United.

The Red Devils are one of the most in-form and free-scoring sides around with Marcus Rashford possessing the ability to terrify and terrorise any defence he sets his eyes upon.

For a side so easily undone by the likes of Vinicius Jr and Karim Benzema several days ago, they will have to be at their best.

How can Liverpool beat Man United?

Klopp has several selection dilemmas heading into today’s clash with Erik ten Hag’s men.

How he selects his defence will be of particular interest with so many recent clean sheets. Of course, the great Virgil van Dijk is an automatic pick but he could be paired alongside either Joel Matip or Ibrahima Konate.

There are dilemmas in midfield too where Jordan Henderson was only a substitute in the 2-0 win over Wolves.

Whether Diogo Jota keeps his place too is worth a discussion with Cody Gakpo and Roberto Firmino waiting in the wings.

That said, there are two players who must come out of the team if Liverpool are to boost their chances at Anfield this afternoon.

The first decision should be a no-brainer with Andy Robertson being re-called to replace Kostas Tsimikas.

In truth, the Greek full-back barely put a foot wrong in that win over Wolves. Hailed by some as their man of the match, he was “excellent” in the words of prominent Liverpool source DaveOCKOP, having assisted Mohamed Salah’s goal and attempted five crosses on the night.

It was a typical Liverpool full-back’s display as the £50k-per-week earner lost the ball on 18 occasions as a marker of his attempts to be creative.

He may well have made an impact but Klopp’s trusty lieutenant in Robertson simply has to come back into the XI.

The same should be said of Henderson who could well replace Harvey Elliott this afternoon.

He saw a couple of first-half chances go ‘awry’ in the words of GOAL’s Peter McVitie v Wolves, only earning a 6/10 match rating and despite his endeavour and energy, experience could be the order of the day against United.

Henderson, despite his decreasing stock, is still a reliable pair of hands for a match like this and should do a greater job of retaining possession and maintaining the tempo.

For all of Elliott’s willingness to make something happen, the £40k-per-week youngster did lose possession 16 times last time out, a notably high number for a midfield player.

By comparison, Henderson has only lost possession on average nine times per match in the top flight this season.

The middle of the park has been a contentious issue this term and with a battle against the might of Casemiro in mind, is likely to be where the game is won and lost.

Everton’s spending under Farhad Moshiri has been nothing short of scandalous, with the Iranian billionaire promising plenty only to vastly underdeliver.

His appointments have been questionable and the subsequent transfers have been even more so, but few can question his financial backing however misguided.

One summer, in particular, stands out as a culmination of this failure to take the next step, as Ronald Koeman was entrusted to reinvest the funds from the £75m sale of Romelu Lukaku.

The Dutchman had just taken his side to seventh, so did merit some show of faith, however he had done so in polarising fashion as he hardly endeared himself to the Evertonians.

In the end, his tenure would end miserably, with the bulk of the additions including Wayne Rooney, Michael Keane, and Gylfi Sigurdsson all falling flat.

Possibly the most disappointing was that of Davy Klaassen, who left his post as captain of Europa League finalists Ajax that year, with the expectation that he would transform the Toffees.

How much did Davy Klaassen cost Everton?

The initial £23.6m acquisition was drowned out that summer by three other bigger deals, so his awful stint at Goodison Park goes somewhat under the radar.

Such was his failure, he would only serve a sole year before moving on to Germany and since returning to Amsterdam. Across this period he cost an additional £3.6m in wages, meaning in total he has drained Moshiri of £27.2m.

The only saving grace of this ugly period in the club’s history was that they received £12m from Werder Bremen to end their nightmare, which somewhat offset the issues.

His 6.5 average rating during his only campaign in the Premier League outlines just how much he struggled, but it did not help that Koeman had signed two other players to directly compete in his position. This overcrowding saw the 30-year-old massively overshadowed by a record signing and the sentimental return of Rooney, as Klaassen would start just three league games all season.

Journalist Luke DeCock even branded the Dutchman “useless” after their torrid start to the season. 

Although Klassen was not the biggest drain the club has ever had, he underpins a truly dreadful period in Moshiri’s tenure that essentially outlines his failures in a sole transfer window.

The future of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is not believed to depend on what lies ahead for manager Antonio Conte.There is growing speculation surrounding the future of the England captain with just over a year currently remaining on his deal with the Lilywhites.Reports suggest there is strong interest coming from Manchester United with Erik ten Hag believed to be keen on bringing the 29-year-old to Old Trafford.And the future of the current Spurs boss, Conte, has been raised as a potential factor in the striker’s decision-making ahead of the summer with the Italian set to leave in the coming months.But reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has claimed the 29-year-old is still open to discussing new terms with his boyhood club and Conte’s future will not affect that.Kane had provided an impressive return of 42 goals and 14 assists in his 74 appearances under Conte since his appointment in late 2021 (via Transfermarkt).Despite this, it seems as if Kane could be open to the idea of playing in north London under a new manager next season.This news was relayed on Twitter and the best of the reactions can be seen below…

Chelsea are at the inception of a new era, with owner Todd Boehly replacing long-time proprietor Roman Abramovich last year after the Russian oligarch was forced to sell in the fallout of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It has been imperfect, to say the least, with Thomas Tuchel sacked in the early phases of the campaign after a discernible and steady decline in 2022 and replacement Graham Potter failing to provide the results on the pitch during the foundation of his reign in west London.

Indeed, Chelsea currently languish in tenth place in the Premier League, also falling in both domestic cup competitions prematurely, bested by Manchester City on either occasion.

But there is now light at the end of the tunnel, with four successive victories and qualification to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where holders Real Madrid await.

Around £600m has been pumped into the club since last summer, but one area yet to find lucrative replenishment is the talismanic position, with 33-year-old striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring three times all season and omitted from the club's Champions League squad for the latter phase.

With Romelu Lukaku out on loan at Inter Milan, some might call for the 29-year-old powerhouse's return amid the changing cogs at the club, but Potter must stick to his guns and search for a fresh face, with Lukaku's time at the helm of the Stamford Bridge ship surely over.

How much did Chelsea pay for Lukaku?

When Lukaku signed for Chelsea for £97.5m from Inter Milan – the club's record transfer until the British-record £107m acquisition of Enzo Fernandez in January – optimism was rife that a devastating forward would rain goals down on opposing forces in destructive and unrelenting fashion.

Indeed, the Belgian holds his own in discourse detailing the most prolific modern strikers, scoring 68 goals from 104 international appearances and boasting 271 goals and 88 assists from 571 outings at club level, including 121 goals in the Premier League.

However, his stint at Chelsea last season was a dismal failure; scoring just eight times in the top-flight and leaving the Blues fan base incensed after an explosive and damaging interview at the season's midpoint.

The "woeful" – as once branded by Samuel Luckhurst – £185k-per-week ace was pushed back out on loan to Serie A with I Nerazzurri, where he has scored just five times from 19 outings during an injury-stricken year.

Wedged in the centre of this term, Lukaku infamously suffered an ignominious performance at the 2022 World Cup, missing four glaring opportunities and recording a shambolic 5.6 match rating – as per Sofascore – in the group phase against Croatia and crashing out of contention prematurely.

The signing has been such a profound catastrophe that journalist Chris Deerin even labelled it a "transfer calamity", and Potter must indeed target a new talisman if he wants to ensure Chelsea to not stagnate in their endeavours.

It's been a stark plummet from prominence for the towering Belgian powerhouse, with injury and the taint of a woeful World Cup indeed inhibiting his fortunes with Inter, so much so that he's now worth only £48m, via Transfermarkt, a staggering 51% decrease in such a short space of time.

With Chelsea transitioning to a new phase this season, the next chapter at the illustrious Premier League outfit must not be hindered by the return of Lukaku, perhaps reaching the end of his imperious best. Indeed, they must finally call time on his second spell at the club this summer; it has been a shambolic transfer all round.

Everton are a club that has certainly seen an upturn in form since making their managerial switch, ditching Frank Lampard in favour of the tried-and-tested exploits of Sean Dyche.

In moving to Goodison Park, the ex-Burnley boss reunited with many of his former players including Michael Keane, James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil.

The latter two had only joined in the summer under the previous regime, capitalising on the Clarets' relegation to secure the defender for free and the wide man for just £20m.

However, it had been a tough start to life on Merseyside for the young trickster in particular, who had to acclimatise to new surroundings in what was until recently a ship that was sinking fast.

People expected far more output than what he had to offer, and thus he struggled to live up to immense expectations. Despite that, Dyche's return to his side seems to have done wonders in reigniting that confidence to finally show Evertonians his best.

How is Dwight McNeil playing for Everton?

Having been expected to post plenty of goals and assists due to his position, the assumption was far too lofty for a player who had never focused his game around that.

McNeil thrived when he was allowed to express himself down the right flank, but with the freedom to also press from the front as he has done so well since the arrival of his old boss.

When compared to other wingers in Europe, the 23-year-old ranks in the top 4% for tackles, the top 9% for interceptions and the top 4% for clearances per 90 (via FBref), supplementing this earlier statement.

However, it is once he is handed free rein that he can actually begin scoring and assisting; a strength which Lampard clearly was not playing to.

In four of his last five matches in the Premier League, the winger has recorded a 7.1 rating or higher, and across the whole season boasts one key pass per game (via Sofascore).

His three goals and two assists also have him on track to surpass some of his finest creative seasons too. Journalist Joe Prince-Wright even took to Twitter to laud his latest strike, which he branded a "beauty" to send Goodison Park "bonkers".

The £25k-per-week gem's increase in value only exacerbates how his importance has grown for the Toffees too with the club truly striking gold on their investment.

Indeed, Football Transfers now see the apex of his expected Transfer Value at a lofty €43.1m (£37.7m), marking an 88% increase over just a short period.

Should their good form continue, with McNeil at the heart of it, this is only set to soar further as he becomes accustomed to his all-important role at his new club.

It has been revealed that West Ham United are unhappy with Czech Republic's decision to select Vladimir Coufal during the international break.

What's going on with Coufal at West Ham?

The right-back has missed West Ham's last two games after being substituted at half time against Nottingham Forest, but was called up to play for his country despite fears over his injury.

He started and played 71 minutes in Czech Republic's victory over Poland, in which he provided an assist, but his club are unhappy with his selection, as they would have preferred the 30-year-old to remain in London and fully recover from his injury.

In a report from The West Ham Way, the club's frustration was revealed, as David Moyes prepares his squad for a crucial run-in as the Hammers battle relegation.

"Despite having missed recent games for West Ham with a foot injury the 30 year old started the Czech Republic’s international match against Poland which they won 3-1 with Coufal registering an assist in the first minute of the game! Tomas Soucek was captain of the side and played in midfield alongside former hammer Alex Kral (who also registered an assist).

"There has been some disappointment from West Ham with his national side as they would have preferred the player to have remained in England to fully recover from his injury and not risk aggravating it before our crucial home match against Southampton.

"The Czech Republic have one more fixture before that relegation 6 pointer with an away trip to Moldova tomorrow. It will be important to see how the player fairs during that and hope he does come through unscathed."

Should Coufal start for West Ham if fit?

The £35k-per-week defender has been a solid signing overall, with Jamie Carragher even calling him "brilliant" in West Ham's successful 2020-21 season.

He still remains first choice ahead of Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer, and has started 16 Premier League games this season despite his injury struggles.

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it is unclear if he will depart East London, but the club have an option to extend his deal for two seasons.

Johnson ranks higher for tackles, blocks and clearances than Coufal as per FBref, and as a younger option, he could be selected as the long-term pick at right back. Whilst Coufal could prove a useful senior figure for the 23-year-old to learn from, an eventual shift towards Johnson moving up the pecking order could help the club in the long run.

Arsenal's imperious form has unsurprisingly led to a rise in stock for many of their players. For a side that narrowly missed out on Champions League spots last season to now be challenging for the Premier League trophy came as a great shock to many, especially given the relative youth of both squad and manager.

However, it is this freshness that likes lends to the astronomical values attached to some of their assets. The fact that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba are all playing such key roles in a title charge whilst being under the age of 23 is startling.

It is a testament to some fine recruitment throughout the years, in which Mikel Arteta added the final touches in the form of a few key additions and cutting some of the dead wood.

His role in brutally achieving the latter earned specific praise, as he took no prisoners in attaining his long-term goal. The likes of Nicolas Pepe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were offloaded without a second thought, outlining the Spaniard's ruthlessness.

Perhaps he could look to emulate this manoeuvre once again when this season comes to its conclusion, in an effort to garner extra funds to continue their dynasty at the top of the table.

Whilst there are few he would likely want exiting the Emirates, Kieran Tierney would certainly not be a monumental miss.

How much is Kieran Tierney worth?

In an effort to solve their long-standing left-back issue, Unai Emery swooped for the Scotsman in the summer of 2019 for a £25m fee. He came with a big reputation from Scotland, having thrived at his boyhood Celtic for many years.

It was thought that he would instantly translate his tough-tackling and bombarding play style into English football, but injuries have hampered his career ever since.

Transfermarkt suggests that the 25-year-old, as a result of the various ailments that have plagued him, has been out for a total of 293 days. However, the true figure is likely even higher than that.

As such, across a four-year spell, the defender has only managed 115 appearances for the Gunners. When fit though, the glimpses of his talent often shine through.

For example, across his 22 league appearances last season, Tierney retained a 6.93 average rating underpinned by 0.9 key passes and 2.2 clearances per 90, via Sofascore. This came just a year after Ashley Cole had branded him a "leader" and a "warrior" to Sky Sports (via AFTV), who was priceless to his team. Oleksandr Zinchenko this season has proven otherwise.

It could therefore give way to a potential summer exit, especially considering how his market value has seemingly grown despite a troubled tenure at the club.

Rated at €49.7m (£43.7m) by Football Transfers' expected Transfer Value model, this marks a fine 75% increase for the £110k-per-week ace from his initial fee.

If Arteta needed any more reason to sell, this surely hands him one. To offload a second-string player for such profit marks a no-brainer, and one he must commit to ensure the continued progression of his side.