Tottenham in pole position to beat Arsenal to £50m ace as Newcastle ‘reach agreement’ for Bournemouth man

After a surprisingly quiet January transfer window, many fans are expecting to see plenty of movement in the summer as Premier League sides look to fill key gaps in their squads.

Tottenham’s most notable gap comes in the centre forward position and although Son Heung-Min has performed well in the absence of Harry Kane, it is still clear that Spurs are in desperate need of a clinical centre forward to take them to the next level.

Ange Postecogolou has successfully helped the team climb back into some form of European football, be that the Champions League or the Europa League this term, but he has insisted that ‘change has to happen this summer’ if the club is to achieve its long term goals.

Football Insider understands that the changes will be kickstarted by a statement move for Brentford and England forward Ivan Toney.

The 28-year-old has been a prolific goalscorer in recent years and notably scored 20 goals in 33 appearances for Brentford last season to spearhead the club to their highest ever Premier League finish.

Toney’s track record since 2018 is sensational and he has been a clinical finisher for the likes of Peterborough and Brentford in recent times. 

The outlet understands that Brentford have lowered their price tag to £50m for Toney, with interest cooling from both Arsenal and Chelsea who were previously linked with the forward. Transfer correspondent Peter O’Rourke claims that this will give Tottenham a free-hit to get the transfer over the line.

The 3AM verdict: Ivan Toney has struggled for form since returning from his gambling ban with just four goals in 15 appearances. However, given the shortage of top class strikers in the market right now, Toney’s earlier track-record in the league, his strength and his ability to bring others into the game, for £50m it may be a gamble worth taking if the Lillywhites are to re-establish themselves as a Champions League club.

Newcastle United ‘reach agreement’ for defender that Eddie Howe rates highly

Newcastle United are on the verge of completing their first signing of the summer transfer window, according to reports from French outlet FootMercato.

They understand that the Magpies have ‘reached an agreement’ to sign Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly when his contract expires in the summer.

The outlet claims that Newcastle have beaten off competition from both AC Milan and Spurs for his signature, with Howe’s relationship with the player proving to be a decisive factor.

These claims are also backed up by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who believes that negotiations are in a ‘really advanced’ stage.

Howe worked closely with Kelly during his time at Bournemouth and was the one who brought him to the Vitality Stadium for £13m back in 2019.

At the time, he described him as an ‘exciting talent and a player of real potential’ and it now appears that Howe is keen to continue harnessing the 25-year-old’s potential.

3AM verdict: Newcastle United are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements after the long-term injuries of Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles. They need squad depth at the back if they are to continue their upwards trajectory, but will need to tread lightly with Financial Fair Play.

Kelly, although slightly injury prone himself, is a multifaceted Premier League proven player, who can provide cover at centre back and at left back, he still has room to improve at 25 years of age and already has a good working relationship with Eddie Howe. On paper this transfer would seem a no-brainer and would fill up further room in the budget for recruitment elsewhere on the pitch.