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Sky Sports journalist Peter Smith says Frank Lampard will be ‘incensed’ and ‘fuming’ at the two big chances Everton missed in the first half against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Missed opportunities

As soon as Harry Kane scored the penalty to put Spurs 1-0 up in the second half, the Goodison Park outfit would have instantly regretted the two big opportunities that they missed in the first.

Demarai Gray did ever so well to turn his man before sprinting into the box, only to blaze his shot over the bar, while Amadou Onana also went on a mazy run into the box later on, before he too fired his shot over, as the Goodison Park outfit went into half-time at 0-0.

The Latest: Lampard ‘incensed’

Reporting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for Sky Sports (18:22), Smith claimed that Lampard would have been ‘incensed’ and ‘fuming’ at half-time after the two glorious opportunities that they missed:

“Everton’s game plan has been executed almost to perfection. 

“They’ve limited Spurs to just a handful of half-chances. And they’ve created two fantastic opportunities on the break. 

“But Lampard will be incensed at those finishes from Gray and Onana. Missing one glaring opening in a match like this is bad. Missing two will have the manager fuming.”

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The Verdict: Costly

Chances missed like the ones for the Merseyside club in the first half will always prove costly, especially away at a ‘big-six’ side.

The Toffees could have easily found themselves going into the break 2-0 up, which would have made the second half a lot easier to manage, but in the end, they went in level and conceded to a penalty from Kane after a sloppy error from Jordan Pickford.

These are the fine margins that the Blues will be dealing with in the bottom half of the table, and they will be leaving North London wondering what may have been.

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Dane Scarlett could be the man to fill Harry Kane’s shoes when that day eventually arises.

The 18-year-old striking sensation has certainly taken the first-team star’s blueprint like a duck to water as he continues to impress on both the domestic and international stage in 2022/23.

Spurs sent the young gem out on loan to League One giants Portsmouth earlier this season and has subsequently delivered for manager Danny Cowley, scoring four goals and laying on one assist across 12 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

This form has seen him earn an early call-up to the England U20 squad, where he featured from the bench against Chile U20s before starting the 2-1 win over Morrocco U20s this week.

Those around Hotspur Way have also noted Scarlett’s potential, so give it a few more years and he could well emerge as the next Kane to come out of N17.

The England skipper was shipped out on loan numerous times to the likes of Leyton Orient, Millwall and Leicester City before he made his senior bow and a lot of that experience paved the way for him to become one of the world’s leading no.9s.

Scarlett is very much on the right track, given his early form for Pompey and that international recognition.

“If you ask people around the club, certainly there’s a lot of excitement about Dane. Obviously, he’s younger and they believe he can be [the] very best,” recently claimed football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

Meanwhile, Cowley was full of praise for the teenager earlier in the campaign. He told BBC Radio Solent Sport:

“For us, Dane can be whatever he wants to be. He is a really talented boy and he has got a fantastic work ethic. Dane can be whatever he wants to be and there is no ceiling on what he can achieve. It is a privilege every morning to wake up and work with him.”

Down at Fratton Park, the Lilywhites prospect is currently the club’s joint-second top goalscorer in the league (three) and isn’t far behind for shots per game (1.7) either, via WhoScored.

Evidently, he’s displaying early signs of the attacking prowess that is at Kane’s disposal – everything could align for him to be the man to take the reins one day, rather than a Troy Parrott or a new signing.

Former Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho was also a huge admirer of the Hillingdon-born talent as he once compared him to Manchester United ace Marcus Rashford.

“He is a diamond, a kid with incredible potential. He has worked many times with the first team and that gives him a different personality,” he said (via The Sun).

“He is a striker, a No 9. But I have been playing him from the sides — similar to Marcus Rashford — and he is already very clever.”

Portsmouth are amongst the promotion favourites in League One this term, so if Scarlett can go onto be a big part of that with his knack for scoring goals, then it could be wise for Spurs to really take him seriously in the coming seasons as Kane, 29, isn’t going to be around forever.

As we’ve seen from the Manchester City saga and recent interest from Bayern Munich, the prolific goal machine will always be a wanted man and currently, Spurs can not offer him the silverware his career so very much deserves.

Scarlett is surely the dream heir to Kane’s throne at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

AND in other news, Spurs are “long-term admirers” of £50m “magician”, he could finally replace Eriksen…

Leeds United look unlikely to make a move to bring Kai Wagner to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to MLS insider and journalist Tom Bogert, who revealed in a recent report for MLS Soccer that, despite Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch holding a very real interest in the Philadelphia Union left-back, it now appears unlikely that the Whites will follow up this interest with a firm offer for the 25-year-old over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

This would appear to back up a claim made by BBC journalist Adam Pope, who revealed in a post on Twitter earlier this summer that the club are believed to be “going with what they have” on the left-hand side of their backline – something that would suggest a move for the German defender does not look overly likely in the coming days.

Big mistake

While it is true that, in the absence of both Junior Firpo and Stuart Dallas, Pascal Struijk has impressed while filling in at left-back – averaging an eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 7.13 over his three Premier League appearances in the position – it is undeniable that, should Leeds wish to give themselves the best possible chance of finishing in the top half of the table this season, a longer-term solution must be brought into the club.

Indeed, with Firpo having struggled with both the pace of the top flight and injuries in his debut campaign with the club – starting just 19 Premier League games largely as a result of a series of knocks and averaging an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.60 – and Dallas being ruled out until at least the turn of the year with a fractured femur, Marsch’s strength in depth at left-back is practically non-existent.

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As such, it would appear as if targeting a dependable, talented and cost-effective option in the position would be an extremely smart move for Orta to make prior to next week’s transfer deadline – with Wagner very much looking to tick all three boxes.

Indeed, over his 27 MLS appearances in 2022, the £3.6m-rated full-back has highly impressed, helping Philadelphia keep 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.9 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 1.9 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per game.

The defender has also caught the eye going forwards, registering five assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.6 key passes – the joint ninth-most in the league – and 2.9 crosses per fixture, with these returns seeing the German average a SofaScore match rating of 7.42 – ranking him as the eighth-best player in the division.

Furthermore, with it being reported that Wagner could be available for a figure of around just $3m (£2.5m) this summer, not only would the 25-year-old appear to be an improvement on the Whites’ current options at the back, but he would also be an incredibly budget friendly target for Orta to pursue.

As such, the argument that the Spaniard deciding against a move for the Philadelphia full-back over the remainder of the summer transfer window would be a big mistake is an easy one to make – as not launching an offer for Wagner, and Firpo continuing with his poor form and injury record from last season this time around, could quite easily blow up in Orta’s face.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Newcastle United have made a ‘final proposal’ to sign Watford striker Joao Pedro this summer.

The lowdown: Rising star

Signed from boyhood club Fluminense in 2020, Pedro has scored 14 times and provided five assists in 78 appearances for Watford.

Following the Hornets’ relegation to the Championship earlier this year, the Magpies have been in hot pursuit of the 20-year-old Brazilian in recent days as Dan Ashworth attempts to bolster the attacking options at Eddie Howe’s disposal.

After it was reported that Pedro ‘wants’ to make the move to Tyneside, one well-informed source has now provided an update on the situation…

The latest: ‘Final proposal’

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that the St James’ Park outfit had sent their ‘final proposal’ to Watford.

He stated: “Excl: Newcastle have sent Watford verbal, final proposal for João Pedro after two turned down in the last few days. It’s worth £25m plus £5m add-ons, still verbal. Final decision up to the Pozzo family now.”

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Signing an additional frontman to Howe’s ranks would be a welcome boost to the ranks, particularly given Callum Wilson’s injury record and Chris Wood’s lacklustre goal return last term.

Linked elsewhere with a move for Maxi Gomez, it seems certain that the Toon will at least attempt to add more firepower to the squad before the September 1 deadline, and this latest bid being accepted would be a huge bonus

Hailed as an ‘exciting player’ by his former manager Xisco Munoz, Pedro scored just four times and provided one assist in 29 outings across all competitions in 2021/22.

However, still with scope to develop and given the Magpies’ lack of genuinely reliable centre-forwards, the £12.6m-valued Brazilian would still be a worthwhile acquisition for PIF and Newcastle, even at the mooted £30m fee.

Leeds United goalkeeper coach Marcos Abad is playing a key role in the club’s pursuit of free agent Joel Robles.

The Lowdown: Robles set to sign?

The Whites have made five new first-team signings this summer, as well as bringing in teenage talents Darko Gyabi and Sonny Perkins. There is still work to do at Elland Road, though, with a new forward, left-back and experienced ‘keeper seemingly on the to-do list.

Graham Smyth revealed on Thursday that Leeds are set to sign Robles next week after he recently left Real Betis, and it looks as if it wasn’t just Victor Orta who has played a part in the move.

The Latest: Spanish outlet provides update

Well-known Spanish outlet AS provided an update on Leeds’ pursuit of Robles on Friday.

They claimed that an agreement has been reached between the Whites and the goalkeeper, adding that goalkeeper coach Abad has played a key role in a move alongside Orta.

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The Verdict: Good news

Abad has been at Leeds for five years and is under contract until 2025, working alongside the likes of Thomas Christiansen, Paul Heckingbottom, Marcelo Bielsa and now Marsch.

It appears as if he is highly thought of by the Leeds hierarchy, so it’s good to see that he has helped Orta to another addition, and the fact the coach was heavily involved implies it wasn’t a panic signing by the hierarchy to add emergency depth to a problem position.

Robles already has experience in the Premier League following stints with Everton and Wigan, so you’d expect he’ll rival Kristoffer Klaesson for a place on the bench and will help Illan Meslier alongside Abad in and around Thorp Arch.

Manchester United could form a remarkable midfield for the 2022/23 campaign if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Italian publication Il Matino, United have already seen their initial advances for Napoli’s Fabian Ruiz rejected.

Other Premier League clubs have also shown an interest in Spaniard, such as Arsenal and West Ham United, and even Real Madrid have plans to make a move for him when his contract runs out in 2023.

The Red Devils aim to swoop in before his contract comes to an end, and this early bid is a signal of intent. Napoli will reportedly not sell for any less than €30m (£25m).

Imagine him & Bruno

Erik ten Hag will be itching to start the new Premier League campaign, however, he is still yet to find a player to fill one coveted midfield spot.

With the Frenkie de Jong transfer saga having rumbled on all summer, this bid could represent a change in focus, and he could replicate the same play style as the Dutchman whilst adding a wand of a left foot to his midfield.

Dubbed “sensational” by Julio Maldonado, the Red Devils certainly lacked anything close to this over their most recent miserable season.

Last season for Napoli, the Spain international featured 32 times but contributed towards 11 goals. Adding these numbers to the centre of midfield, whilst also boosting security due to his tendency to sit back, could free up Bruno Fernandes for another outstanding season.

During the 2020/21 season, the 46-cap Portuguese dynamo offered up an astounding 29 goal contributions whilst featuring in front of a more secure midfield pairing of Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay.

If this can be created, we could see him unlock his insane proficiency in front of goal once more. This could be all the more important if Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave the club, as he is touted to do so.

He averaged 2.05 tackles and 1.92 interceptions per 90, suggesting that whilst defensive work will not be his priority, he would add balance to United’s midfield if someone of the ilk of McTominay or Lisandro Martinez was to sit just behind him.

Perhaps this shrewd signing could see both players take their game to the next level and allow one another to improve United. It could be Ten Hag’s most important signing of the summer.

AND, in other news: Man United eyeing move to sign “generational” £55m talent, he could replace Ronaldo.

Wolves are reportedly considering a bid for Hoffenheim defender Stefan Posch, and the Austrian could be an excellent addition to Bruno Lage’s side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, the Old Gold are interested in signing the 25-year-old this summer in a possible €10m (£8.5m) deal.

He tweeted: “Stefan Posch: It’s possible that he will leave Hoffenheim in this transfer period. He has a market in the Premier League. Wolverhampton is in. Transfer fee probably around €10m.”

Wolves have only made one new signing so far this summer, as Nathan Collins arrived from Burnley, and it seems as if Lage is considering further defensive reinforcements ahead of the new Premier League season.

The 46-year-old lost Romain Saiss and Marcal after their contracts came to an end, but considering the respective form of his defence and attack last season (43 goals conceded, 38 scored), you would have thought that signings in the latter category would have been the priority at Molineux this summer.

Supporters will be buzzing

Last season saw Posch make 28 appearances in the Bundesliga, contributing two goals and averaging a less than impressive 6.57 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

WhoScored cite his main strengths as crossing, tackling and concentration. This suggests that he could work effectively in a three-at-the-back system if he were allowed to join the attack as an overlapping centre-back, which we saw Sheffield United use to great effect in their first season in the Premier League.

The centre-back has made 123 appearances for Hoffenheim in his career thus far, so he boasts plenty of top-flight experience, while at 25 he still has plenty of time to improve even further and adapt to the Premier League.

Posch also has a lot of experience with Austria, for whom he has earned 16 caps, so he could be a good option for Lage to have in his team next season, especially if the 46-year-old sticks with the three-at-the-back system.

Wolves’ squad is still looking worryingly thin (only four top-flight clubs have smaller), and while supporters might have been hoping for some more reinforcements in attack, Posch could prove to be a quality addition at the back and will provide good competition for the likes of Collins, Conor Coady and Max Kilman.

Considering that he is available for just £8.5m, the Austrian could prove to be a real bargain this summer, and Wolves supporters will be delighted to hear that their club are interested in signing him.

AND in other news: Lage can unearth Wolves’ own £67m star by signing £120k-pw gem who’s “one of the best”

An update has emerged on Tottenham’s pursuit of Leeds forward Raphinha in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Adam Crafton has claimed that Spurs have a “genuine interest” in the winger as Fabio Paratici eyes multiple deals at the same time to ensure that the club do not end up missing out on adding in key areas.

In the accompanying article, it is reported that Leeds are open to cashing in on the Brazilian in the coming months and will not stand in his way if a reasonable offer comes in.

Arsenal and Chelsea are also said to be keen on the attacker, who the Whites signed for £17m in 2020, whilst Barcelona look set to be priced out of a deal that could cost around £47m.

Arjen Robben 2.0

By signing Raphinha, Tottenham can land their own version of former Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea phenomenon Arjen Robben.

The Dutch dynamo was renowned for being effective at cutting inside onto his left foot from the right wing and became a top player in Europe. Of his 209 career goals, 141 came via his left foot – from open play, penalties, and free-kicks.

These statistics show that he was lethal on his left whilst playing as a right-sided forward and that is what Raphinha has been for Leeds since making the move to England.

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In 65 Premier League appearances, the Brazilian has scored 17 goals for the Whites and a whopping 16 of them came via his left foot – mainly playing on the right of a front three. Journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor dubbed him “magic” and said that he “raises the temperature” by taking the ball onto his left foot.

Along with his being able to score goals, the 25-year-old wizard has proven that he can be a creative outlet out wide whilst performing consistently in the top flight.

As you can see in the graphic above, Raphinha regularly put chances on a plate for his teammates – creating almost two per match – but he was only rewarded with three assists for his efforts.

Now, imagine if he had the likes of Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son to link up with in the final third.

He can take his game to the next level by playing Champions League football instead of being in a team battling against relegation as he will have teammates more capable of finishing off the chances he is able to create.

Antonio Conte would have his own version of Robben, scoring and creating goals on his left foot, if Paratici is able to beat Arsenal and Chelsea to the Brazil international’s signature this summer and the Italian chief must now secure his services.

AND in other news, Romano: Spurs set to enter exciting talks “in the coming hours”, Conte will be buzzing…

Wolves have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from CM Jornal, the Old Gold have reached an agreement with the Portuguese club to sign their midfield star. Wolves will reportedly pay €20m (£17m) up front and a potential €5m (£4.2m) in add-ons for the 26-year-old.

Across a combined 170 senior appearances for Sporting Lisbon and Braga, the midfielder has scored 13 goals and delivered three assists in the process. He also has experience of playing in the Europa League and the Champions League, which could be useful for Wolves as they aim to break into Europe under Bruno Lage.

In fact, he got a good taste of what it’s like to come up against the Premier League’s top brass as he played the full 90 minutes against Manchester City in the Champions League in February.

Great news for Wolves

His latest season with Sporting saw him score three goals in 27 league appearances and earn himself an overall performance rating of 7.03/10 from WhoScored.

However, it was his defensive talent which stood out throughout the campaign, as the midfielder won more tackles (47) than any other player at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Taking into account how Wolves only won two of their final 12 Premier League games of the season and conceded 23 goals in those matches, it’s easy to see why they have sought to secure a deal for Palhinha so early in the summer transfer window.

Also, with current Old Gold midfielder Joao Moutinho’s contract at Molineux set to expire at the end of the month, this reported deal could see the £22.5m-rated figure come in and be a potential long-term replacement for his veteran compatriot.

Bearing in mind how the Midlands club already have a significant number of Portuguese players in their ranks, and coaching staff as well, this could make it easier for Palhinha to settle into life at Molineux.

Even though the summer transfer window has only just opened for business, it would undoubtedly be great news for the club and their fans if they’re able to get the midfielder through the door and announced as soon as possible, so that they can then move onto other potential targets who may be on their radar.

In other news: Wolves eyeing swoop for “terrific” 20 y/o “hotshot”, he can be their next Moutinho

A huge Newcastle United claim has emerged regarding their plans for their left-back position heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that the Tyneside club may look to strike deals for both Renan Lodi and Matt Targett in the coming months.

The reporter has also stated that the Magpies are not the only team interested in landing the former, as some Serie A clubs are also looking at the Brazilian.

Talbot tweeted: “Now would you pile on me if I told you that one source did say that both Lodi and Targett could happen? Lodi has known to be a very attacking full-back, but he has been played on the left-wing position as well – it’s actually where he’s scored three goals from this season.”

This was in response to another one of his tweets, which read: “Told nothing in the reports Renan Lodi and Newcastle will be meeting next week. The defender is on the club’s list but there’s interest from Italy as well, a country he has a passport for…”

Supporters will be excited

Newcastle supporters will surely be excited by this claim, as signing both Lodi and Targett would be outstanding business by the club.

Eddie Howe would have two quality left-back options to pick from throughout the season and they would be able to push each other on the training pitch to avoid complacency.

Targett is a proven Premier League performer who has shown that he can be a solid presence in the number three role. In 33 top-flight appearances in 2021/22, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.96 as he made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

He is tried and trusted and would be a sensible signing by PIF if they make his loan from Aston Villa a permanent deal this summer.

Lodi would a riskier, albeit more exciting, addition. In the recently-concluded La Liga season, the Brazilian excelled in the final third with two goals and two assists in 13 starts for Atletico Madrid, creating three ‘big chances’ in his limited time on the pitch.

However, he only made 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game and has never played in the Premier League. This means that he would not be the safe, sensible option that Targett would be, and this may be an exciting prospect for Newcastle fans as they might not know quite what to expect from the 24-year-old.

Lodi’s attacking statistics suggest that he enjoys getting forward, with Talbot citing that the Atletico defender is capable of playing out wide, and this will delight supporters who want to see an attacking style of play.

Therefore, fans will be excited by the prospect of both players coming in, as Howe would have the reliable presence of Targett for tight matches and a potential maverick in Lodi in games where Newcastle want to attack down the flanks.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: NUFC can form a deadly duo by signing “outstanding” £34m “rock”…