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Tottenham Hotspur have been told to hire the ‘best’ Mauricio Pochettino alternative in ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.

The Lowdown: Conte future uncertain…

Antonio Conte’s future, especially after Spurs’ dismal 1-0 aggregate defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League, is looking more and more certain to be away from north London.

The Lilywhites limped out of Europe on Wednesday evening after registering just two shots on target all game, prompting Conte to even freely admit he could be sacked before the summer.

Many managers have been linked with the role, including former fan favourite Pochettino, but reporter Oli Gamp of The Mail has now told Spurs to hire an alternative.

The Latest: Spurs told to hire Tuchel…

Taking to Twitter, the journalist endorsed Tuchel and explained why he should be considered over Pochettino when asked by a supporter.

He said:

“Best manager that’s available who plays good football and supported Spurs as a kid.”

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The Verdict: Great manager…

Although we believe Pochettino is still the best option, especially considering he already knows the club and is adored by supporters, Tuchel certainly wouldn’t be a bad alternative.

The German has clinched ten major honours throughout a decorated career, including a Champions League title, and is also proven in the Premier League.

The Conte era appears to be coming to a majorly disappointing end after much promise, and as chairman Daniel Levy must carefully weigh his next moves, it will be interesting to see who he does bring through the door.

Another contender who could take Spurs to new heights is ex-Barca boss Luis Enrique given he has experience winning silverware and plays an exciting brand of football.

Arsenal have not only enjoyed progress on the pitch over the last couple of seasons, with Mikel Arteta’s philosophy paying off, but their business in the transfer market has been wonderful.

Since the start of the 2021/2022 season, the Spaniard has signed Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira, however the deal to bring English goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to the club has been one of his finer pieces of business.

He joined for a fee of £24m in 2021 from Sheffield United, and it was clear that Arteta wanted someone who could become their undisputed No.1 between the sticks, ending years of chopping and changing ‘keeper every season or two.

The 24-year-old has not only performed well since joining the Gunners, but his value has now soared, and it appears as though Arteta has struck gold on the player.

How much is Aaron Ramsdale worth now?

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Ramsdale now has a market value of €60 (£53m), which represents a massive 120% rise from the initial financial outlay just under two years ago.

This will only continue to rise too, especially if he can maintain his wonderful performances and Arsenal might finally have an heir to the great David Seaman, nearly 20 years after he left the club.

Across 27 Premier League matches this term, he has kept 12 clean sheets, made 2.3 saves per game – at a success rate of 71% – and succeeded with 100% of his run-outs each match.

He has only committed one error leading to a goal since the start of the league season, and he won 100% of his total duels while taking 32.5 touches of the ball per game, proving that he is comfortable at playing out from the back and building attacks.

With three caps for England, he has a bright future with the national team also, especially if he continues his current rich vein of form.

The Gunners have the joint-second the best defensive record in the Premier League, conceding 25 goals in 27 matches. While a back four of White, William Saliba, Gabriel and Zinchenko has been a large part of that, Ramsdale’s performances in goal have given the club a wonderful chance of winning a first league crown in 19 years.

He was hailed by Arteta for making an “incredible” save against Leicester City last season and having been signed as a player of excellent potential, he has blossomed into one of the best ‘keepers in the country.

The 40-year-old won’t be looking to sell him anytime soon, but with his value looking like it will only increase, he could very well be tempted should a massive offer arrive in the next few years.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has the support of his players after a recent upturn in fortunes, according to an update from journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Chelsea on the rise under Potter?

It’s fair to say that Potter has experienced a tough start to life in charge of the Blues, coming in as Thomas Tuchel’s replacement and struggling to pick up results.

In fact, the 47-year-old has averaged just 1.48 points per game across 29 matches as Chelsea manager so far, leading to doubts surrounding his future.

Potter has enjoyed something of a change in fortunes in recent weeks, however, with progression to the Champions League quarter-finals secured and three wins in a row coming the Blues’ way in all competitions.

All of a sudden, things feel a little brighter for Potter and a new update suggests that his future is nowhere near in as much doubt as it was a few weeks ago.

The Latest: Blues players in support in boss

Writing for Give Me Sport, Phillips claimed that the Englishman has reached a situation where ‘the players are with, and not against’ him, which is significant.

It is also claimed that the current mood within the Chelsea camp is the ‘best it has been for some time right now’, further suggesting that Potter has won over his doubters.

The Verdict: Patience paying off

This is such an encouraging update from a Chelsea perspective, with Potter a likeable figure who did such a great job at Brighton, only averaging slightly fewer points per game (1.28) than he has in charge of Chelsea, despite not as many resources, in terms of quality and finances.

At this point, it looks as though the Blues’ patience is paying off, with past situations at Stamford Bridge no doubt leading to him being sacked by now, but Todd Boehly has continued to give him time.

Potter is still clearly under pressure to keep delivering positive results but these last three games have been very positive, and with the likes of Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandes continuing to adjust to their new surroundings, there is no reason why Chelsea can’t finish this season in strong fashion.

Mike Arteta is a perfect example of why remaining patient can be so invaluable, with the Spaniard under pressure at Arsenal at one point but now leading them to within touching distance of Premier League glory, and the hope is that Potter enjoys a similar trajectory.

Liverpool are believed to be interested in signing Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Gravenberch out of favour

The 20-year-old has emerged as arguably one of the most exiting midfielders of his generation, having initially burst onto the scene at Ajax, making 103 appearances for them.

Gravenberch’s performances earned him a high-profile move to Bayern last summer but he has struggled to reach the hype early on in Germany.

He has only managed just one start in the Bundesliga all season long, as well as making 14 substitute appearances, falling behind others in the midfield pecking order, such as Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka.

While it is still clearly early days for Gravenberch at Bayern, there may be a part of him that is already considering moving on, should Julian Nagelsmann not see a long-term future for him.

That’s where Liverpool come into play, as Jurgen Klopp continues to look at potential midfield signings during the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on signing

According to a report from Spain [via Caught Offside], the Reds are interested in signing Graveberch at the end of the season, seeing him as a strong option to bring in.

It is even stated that talks are at an advanced stage currently, with new faces required ahead of the likely exits of Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Gravenberch’s current Bayern deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2027, so it may not be easy to get him on the cheap.

The Verdict: Potentially great addition

Granted, the 11-cap Netherlands international hasn’t pulled up any trees at Bayern so far this season, but he is such a young player that going overboard about his struggles is nothing more than hyperbole.

Gravenberch remains a huge talent with a massive future ahead of him – former Ajax player Wim Kieft once called him a ‘complete’ player – and for that reason the idea of him in a Liverpool shirt is hugely exciting.

The youngster possesses both physicality and technical quality, both of which have been sorely lacking at Liverpool this season, given his 6ft 2in frame and 89.1% pass completion rate in the Bundesliga this season.

At 20, Gravenberch and Jude Bellingham could both come in and represent the future at Anfield, although both are so incredibly mature for their age that they would surely be considered regular starters from the off by Klopp.

Whether or not Bayern are willing to sell so soon remains to be seen, but Liverpool should see it as a shrewd signing in what is a pivotal summer at the club.

Chelsea have been forced to cope without the influential N'Golo Kante for much of this season, as injury problems and age catch up with the once world-class midfielder.

While the Frenchman is expected to return from injury soon and could play a big part under Graham Potter as the Blues target a European finish in the Premier League, the 31-year-old's contract situation means that Chelsea should already be planning on how to replace him.

The former Leicester City man could be set to leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer this summer when his current contract expires but Potter may already have a ready-made replacement in 18-year-old talent, Andrey Santos.

Who is Andrey Santos?

The teenage midfielder would move to Stamford Bridge in January of this year, signing in a deal worth a reported £18m, which represents another significant outlay from Todd Boehly, especially for a player so young.

However, there is every reason to believe in Santos' potential, as he has already established himself as a key first-team player at Vasco da Gama in Brazil, notching eight goals in 42 appearances for Maurício Barbieri's side, having rejoined them on loan in the January transfer window.

Although he plays predominantly as a defensive midfielder, the teenager clearly has an eye for goal, as he finished the recent U20 South American Championships with six goals in eight games as Brazil claimed the title.

The teenager has already caught the eye of former Brazil international Juninho Pernambucano, who sang his praises after he broke into Vasco da Gama's first team last season, helping them earn promotion from Serie B.

He said: “I've never seen a player, at 18, as ready as he is. Physically, he's a beast, technically he's on a high level. He's not going to be better than me, he's going to be much better than me."

The former Lyon man continued: "He is a much more complete player. At 18, I didn’t play half as much as he does, I’m not ashamed to say that."

Could Andrey Santos replace Kante?

Although Kante has been limited to just two appearances in the Premier League so far this season, his 7.20 average rating from WhoScored.

This sees him ranked as the number-one player in Potter's squad, which emphasises how much of a loss it would be for the former Brighton boss to see him depart this summer.

While reports have suggested that he is close to a new three-year-deal, the Frenchman will turn 32 in a few days' time and cannot be expected to perform forever in this Chelsea midfield.

If and when Kante does need replacing, Potter should turn to the exciting Santos, who certainly looks to have the physical attributes and potential required to fill the World Cup winner's boots at Chelsea.

Similarly equipped to be that box-to-box presence, the Blues could well save millions, looking to unleash the young Brazilian next to the likes of Enzo Fernandez, rather than spending more in the transfer market.

Although yet to make his Chelsea debut, Santos could well be ready to explode next term.

Sporting CP midfielder Pedro Goncalves would be a 'superb' signing by Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

How's Goncalves doing this season?

The 24-year-old has been a talismanic figure for Sporting so far this season, catching the eye with his constant quality in the final third. He has scored 12 goals and registered six assists in 23 Primeira Liga appearances, as well as netting three times in four Europa League outings.

It is in Europe that Goncalves has produced his most eye-catching moment of the campaign to date, lobbing Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from all of 50 yards in their eventual triumph over the Gunners. It was a moment that was described as 'incredible' by former striker Kevin Campbell, highlighting the brilliance at the attacking midfielder's disposal.

NSWE have recently been linked with a move to bring Goncalves to Villa at the end of the season, with the Portuguese maverick potentially jumping at the chance to head to the Premier League.

Could the midfielder be off to Villa?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor reacted with excitement to the rumours that the Sporting hero could head to Villa Park:

"I do think that is where Villa will be shopping. I know they played a 4-2-3-1 in their last game, and I think it was Ramsey that operated from the left. He’s not a winger as such, so I think that is where they will be looking at. Gonçalves would be a great signing, he was at Wolves and it didn't really work out, but he's really highly thought of in Portugal because of what he's done with Sporting.

"So I think that's the kind of player that would be superb for Villa."

The ideal summer signing for Villa?

Goncalves, valued at roughly £44m, has the ability to be a magnificent signing by Villa this summer, adding the guile and match-winning quality that is missing in attacking midfield areas currently. This season, Emiliano Buendia is the highest-scoring player in a similar position to him with five goals, showing how much of a difference he could make.

The two-cap Portugal international is averaging 2.1 key passes per game in the league this season, which is more than any Villains player – Alex Moreno and Douglas Luiz lead the way with 1.3 per match – and at 24, there is no reason why he shouldn't find further gears in the coming years.

Unai Emery will surely feel that Goncalves is someone who could be a game-changer of a signing, improving those around him and becoming a firm favourite among the supporters, given his eye for the spectacular.

West Ham United are ready to submit an enquiry regarding a potential deal for AC Milan striker Divock Origi, according to reports.

What's the latest on Origi's future?

David Moyes brought Danny Ings to the London Stadium in January, but with Gianluca Scamacca reportedly set to depart at the end of the season should the club get relegated – not to mention Michail Antonio coming close to leaving at the beginning of the year – a reinforcement will almost definitely be needed.

Belgium international Origi arrived at the San Siro on a free transfer from Premier League outfit Liverpool last summer, but he’s not made the impact he would have been hoping for. The Serie A forward has recorded just six league starts this season and is seriously out of favour under Stefano Pioli, who has Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic as his main attacking options.

The Rossoneri attacker’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, so a deal probably won’t come cheap given his side’s strong negotiating position – but that hasn’t stopped Moyes from giving it a go.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.it (via Sport Witness), West Ham, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are “ready to believe” in Origi, who could be set to “say goodbye” to AC Milan. The Irons are believed to “appreciate” the 27-year-old ahead of a possible move in the upcoming transfer window.

Meanwhile, Anfield’s former veteran would be “keen” to return to the top flight should the “right offer” come up for him, and it’s stated that he would be “willing to part ways” to receive game time elsewhere.

Should West Ham splash the cash on Origi?

Origi may seem like a player who’s past his sell-by date given the amount of times he’s been around the block, but he is still more than capable of being a top centre-forward when given a consistent run of form.

The Nike-sponsored star already has plenty of experience in the top flight during his time at Liverpool, where he scored 41 goals and provided 18 assists on Merseyside, as per Transfermarkt – form which at the time saw the £87k-p/w talent dubbed a “monster” by his ex-manager Jurgen Klopp.

The 6 foot 2 forward also helped the Reds secure six trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League, so knows what it takes to be successful and what a team has to do in order to compete for silverware at the highest level, so we think West Ham should absolutely make an offer to bring him to E20.

Referee Stuart Attwell and his VAR team may have made a big mistake in the most recent Newcastle United game after not awarding a penalty for a foul on Fabian Schar.

What's the latest on Fabian Schar and Newcastle?

The Magpies picked up a huge three points in the quest to end the season with Champions League football as they eased past Manchester United with a fairly routine win.

Indeed, coming up against the Red Devils in the important Premier League clash, the home side ran out 2-0 winners at St James' Park thanks to goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson.

Despite the final scoreline, the game wasn't entirely settled until Newcastle got their second goal with just two minutes left to play. However, things could have been much easier had Attwell or VAR noticed a possible foul on Schar.

Indeed, as seen in the Sky Sports highlights package (2:30), the defender seems to be kicked in the head when trying to win the ball.

Did Schar deserve a penalty for the foul?

Judging by the replays, it seems quite clear that Schar wins the ball with his head while Man United player Bruno Fernandes then dangles a leg and makes contact.

It's not necessarily a high boot from the Red Devil, as the Newcastle United centre-back throws himself to a lower height to win the ball, but that doesn't have to be relevant.

In the end, it's just a simple matter of two players going for the ball, one winning it and the other man kicking the opponent in the head.

However, Man United may find themselves slightly unlucky too as they had an incident involving the same two players in the first half, with Fernandes' penalty appeal waved away by VAR and the referee.

On the Sky Sports commentary, Gary Neville claims there was a VAR check for a handball on the line from Anthony Martial – which was easily dismissed. If this was the case, it's quite remarkable that the officials didn't spot the possible foul on Schar in the same passage of play.

Ultimately, it didn't matter too much as the Magpies still managed to get the win and seal the three points with that second goal through Wilson later on. Had Man United found a way to get themselves level before then, however, Eddie Howe and his side may well have been fuming about this incident on Monday morning.

As it happens, he seemed delighted with his team's performance after the game, telling BBC Sport: "It was an important win and mostly it was a really good performance from the players. It was really high energy, high quality and a lot of chances created.

"We kept knocking on the door. Tribute to our fitness levels today. In my opinion, we got stronger in the game, even though we were giving so much to it."

Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron could be on the bench this weekend.

What's the latest injury news for Newcastle and Miguel Almiron?

The 29-year-old winger has been out injured for a little while now and has not actually played in any of the club's last four Premier League games.

However, with Aston Villa to face away from home, it looks as though he could be in contention to make a return to the bench.

Indeed, while speaking to the press ahead of this game, manager Eddie Howe provided an interesting update on the winger.

He said (via Shields Gazette) “He’s done really well. He’s ahead of schedule at the moment. Fingers crossed, he gets through training, and could be available very soon.”

He was then asked if Almiron could play against Villa, and remained vague with his answer but admitted it was a “possibility".

While talking about this on his own YouTube channel, Hope claimed that Howe's words were enough to confirm that the Paraguay international will definitely make the bench.

He explained: “We've learned to read Eddie when it comes to fitness and otherwise.

"But for him to say that Miguel Almiron is back and training, and see how he come through today's session, that tells us that he will be on the bench down at Aston Villa tomorrow, which is two weeks ahead of schedule, which is a huge boost for them."

How many Premier League goals has Almiron scored this season?

Before the break for the winter World Cup, Almiron was in the form of his life, scoring eight goals and providing one assist in the Premier League.

Since then, however, the £60k-per-week star has lost a little bit of momentum and form, adding just three more league goals to his tally (for a total of 11 in 25).

Perhaps this little time on the sidelines will have done him so good then, just to let him reset before the final run-in.

At the very least, he certainly seems raring to go if he is indeed ready to get back on the bench to play Aston Villa ahead of schedule.

Indeed, while Howe wasn't prepared to confirm Almiron would play any part, journalist Hope seems to be sure that the winger be involved in some capacity as part of the matchday squad for the first time since 12th March.

Arsenal have enjoyed an unprecedented season, which although has faltered in recent weeks, could very well still culminate in the capture of the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta has worked wonders to evolve what was a side that could barely achieve a top-four spot into true competitors for the unflappable Manchester City, and to fall at this final hurdle would be a heartbreaking experience, although one the Gunners can remain proud of.

At last, they seem to have returned to the pinnacle of English football, and the Spaniard will seek to keep them there for as long as possible.

Such steady growth into their current state was curated over years of careful planning, which saw big names pushed to the exit door in favour of a new model of player. The 41-year-old was not afraid to cull previous fan favourites if they did not subscribe to his ideals.

However, he was just as likely to outline a ruthlessness with those who were also deemed to be lacking the requisite quality to perform at the top level that he foresaw his side at.

The likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and David Luiz were all casualties of their dwindling abilities. Now, in this coming summer, the same could be set to happen to Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

How has Ainsley Maitland-Niles played out on loan?

It feels like the 25-year-old has always had something a bit special, but never quite seemed to pin down exactly the kind of footballer he wanted to be. At times an attacking midfielder, then shifted deeper, even the wing was his home for many years which gave credence to the occasion stint at wing-back too.

This London-born trickster is the epitome of the phrase: jack of all trades, master of none.

Having graduated from the club's prestigious Hale End academy in 2014, a whopping 11 years after he had first joined the club as a youngster, the £35k-per-week nomad has only mustered 132 total appearances for the north London outfit, scoring three and assisting eight.

Such a lack of mastery in a sole position has often led Maitland-Niles to be snubbed in favour of a bigger name, who has shone in one specific position all their careers. As such, he has endured four different loan spells throughout his career, three of which have come since Arteta's arrival.

That is certainly a damning indication of the midfielder's standing within the new manager's squad. It even led to a strange deadline day social media fiasco back in 2021, in which the 5 foot 10 star was refused a move to join Everton on loan only for him to post online pleading with the club to release him.

This led talkSPORT's Simon Jordon to launch into a scathing rant on the conduct of the wantaway ace: "They need to understand that they are the sum of a part and that part is a football club who they’re employees of and they need to do as they’re told.

"Why isn’t he in Arsenal’s team? Because the team stinks right now, so he has to look at himself as the reason why he isn’t in Arsenal’s team. His performances last year at West Brom didn’t pull up any trees, and secondly you are a professional footballer."

With a relationship not to be desired with the head coach, and an average 6.81 rating during his time on loan at rock-bottom Southampton, this summer should mark the end of a stuttering career in the captial for the boyhood Gooner.