Having finishing 15 points behind champions Real Madrid in LaLiga season, Atletico Madrid are in a bit of a rebuilding process.

While Hector Herrera, Luis Suarez and Sime Vrsaljko head for the exit, Saul Niguez and Alvaro Morata return from loans, with Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel potentially also signing on a free transfer.

Reports suggest that Atleti are also particularly keen on keeping one of Witsel's international team-mates.

TOP STORY – ATLETI TO WARD OFF CARRASCO INTEREST

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is unwilling to let go of Yannick Carrasco amid growing interest from Premier League clubs, according to Diario AS.

Although Carrasco's contract expires in 2024, his reported release clause of €60million reportedly makes him an attractive prospect to the likes of ChelseaTottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Simeone has apparently ordered the club to not field any offers for the 28-year-old, who he considers fundamental to his future plans.

Though the player is reportedly happy at the Wanda Metropolitano, offers from elsewhere could potentially play a role in any contract negotiations.

ROUND-UP

– Cristiano Ronaldo is considering a departure from Manchester United in response to a lack of recent transfer activity under Erik ten Hag, Record reports.

Barcelona have finally made a bid for Robert Lewandowski, with an opening offer to Bayern Munich of €40m, according to the Telegraph.

– The same publication is also reporting that, with one year remaining on his contract, France international Adrien Rabiot has requested a transfer from Juventus to the Premier League.

Milan are considering making an offer for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, per TuttomercatoWeb.

It is fair to say that Paul Pogba's time at Manchester United has been somewhat polarising.

The France midfielder ultimately struggled to consistently provide the football that made him such a sought-after player in Italy with Juventus, before his big-money move back to United in 2016.

Reports suggest with his contract at Old Trafford expiring at the end of the month, Pogba will be heading back to the Serie A giants to try and revive his reputation.

TOP STORY – POGBA SET FOR JUVENTUS RETURN

Paul Pogba is set have his wish granted and will return to Juventus, according to Fabrizio Romano.

With his contract expiring at Manchester United, his wage demands could only realistically be met by a select number of clubs in Europe.

Pogba had reportedly only wanted to return to Italy with the Bianconeri, where he left a four-time Serie A and two-time Coppa Italia winner in 2016.

The 29-year-old's agent will meet with Juve representatives on Thursday, with a medical to be completed at the beginning of July when his contract at Old Trafford officially ends.

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Ajax are set to make another offer for Steven Bergwijn meanwhile, with Tottenham not accepting offers below £25million (€29m), per Sky Sports.

Barcelona boss Xavi is hopeful Ousmane Dembele will sign a new contract to ward off Chelsea interest, Goal reports.

– Goal also report that winger Antony is determined to join Manchester United from Ajax.

Leeds United have valued Brazil international Raphinha at £65m (€75.3m) amid interest from Tottenham, Chelsea and Barcelona, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United overlooking Antonio Conte hurt Patrice Evra, who has no doubt his former Juventus boss could have turned things around at Old Trafford. 

Conte was linked with United ahead of the dismissal of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last November, but Ralf Rangnick was given the nod as an interim boss with a view to changing the club from the top down as a consultant at the end of the 2021-22 season. 

Rangnick averaged 1.5 points per game and a win percentage of 42 in the Premier League – both of which were record lows in the competition for a Red Devils manager – as United failed to qualify for the Champions League. 

Conte ended up at Tottenham instead and steered them from ninth to a top-four finish, leaving Evra to wonder what might have been. 

"It hurts my heart because I think Conte, [Jurgen] Klopp, [Pep] Guardiola – all those managers are the best in the world right now and we could have had him at Manchester United," Evra told The Mirror. 

"But some people at the club, they said: 'It's not our style, it's not what we’re looking for.' 

"So let's see, now we have Erik ten Hag. Let's see what he's going to do. He has my support. But then, even if you brought a chef in, as the manager of Man United, he'd have my full support." 

Evra added: "It's a massive disappointment because he [Conte] could have done something at Man United. 

"And you can see with Tottenham, he helped them to qualify for the Champions League spot. They have the same players, so that's why this manager is a genius. 

"When I arrived at Juventus, every player told me: 'Patrice, this guy is a genius. He's addicted, he's so passionate about football. So you're going to run really hard. He's going to make you sweat.' 

"But if you look at the Tottenham fans, they are so happy because when they see the players now, win or lose, they give everything. That's the mentality of Antonio Conte. 

"That's why I say it hurts. Not because it's Tottenham – I love every team – but it's just because Conte could have done something." 

Lucas Moura expressed his excitement to play in the Champions League with Tottenham, but warned the upcoming campaign could be his last with the Premier League side.

Moura joined Spurs from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018 on a five-year contract, which is due to expire next June.

The 29-year-old appeared 34 times in the 2021-22 Premier League term, scoring two goals and assisting six, while creating 34 chances as Tottenham secured Champions League qualification.

Brazil compatriots Richarlison and Raphinha have been linked as Antonio Conte looks to bolster his squad to compete in Europe, with Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma already signed.

Moura also has to compete with the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski for a starting spot, with the attacking trio integral to the success in the second half of the season for Spurs.

While Moura is looking forward to featuring in UEFA's flagship club competition under Conte, he revealed that the 2022-23 season could be his last with Tottenham.

"The idea is to fulfil the contract. It has one more year, with the option of one more, on the part of the club," he told journalist Andre Hernan.

"So at the end of this season now, if the club wants to extend another year, they have that option.

"But my idea is this. Finalising the contract, playing in the Champions League, we haven't played the Champions League for two years, and now it could be, perhaps, my last Champions League there at Tottenham.

"So then the idea is to stay there, fulfil the contract, then be free, then decide where I'm going."

Ivan Perisic's move to Tottenham from Inter came as a surprise to Ivica Olic, his former Croatia team-mate who is now assistant manager of the national team.

The 33-year-old winger left Italy following the expiration of his contract to join Spurs on a free transfer, where he will reunite with former Inter boss Antonio Conte.

He stands among a number of early additions made by Conte ahead of the new season such as Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma, as Spurs look to consolidate their top-four position in the 2022-23 season.

Perisic's move to Spurs brings an end to a seven-year association with Inter, with whom he won the Serie A in 2020-21 and the Coppa Italia in 2021-22, and Olic thought the Nerazzurri would find a way to keep him.

"To be honest I was a little surprised he went to England - he had a very good season at Inter and I expected him to stay," Olic told Stats Perform.

"I didn't think Inter would just let go of him like that.

"Ivan has played in Germany, France and now Italy for the past few years. But we had talked about the fact that England had always been a sore point for him. 

"I'm not saying it was a life aspiration for him but definitely sees it as a challenge to play in the Premier League."

Olic believes the fact that Perisic has experience working with Conte will be beneficial for him and does not foresee any issues with the experienced winger settling into English football.

"This opportunity presented itself and he accepted it," said Olic. "Some clubs were interested in him, but he chose Tottenham. 

"He knows the coach, his coaching staff and his game system. In terms of getting used to the English system, I don't think he will have any problems. 

"I'm sure, since I've played with him myself and now, I'm coaching him, that he'll settle in quickly and become one of the most important players."

Spurs begin the new Premier League season on August 6 against Southampton and will be in the Champions League group stage draw on Thursday, August 25.

Tottenham and Chelsea target Alessandro Bastoni will "100 per cent" be staying at Inter, while Simone Inzaghi has agreed a new contract with the Nerazzurri.

That is the message from football agent Tullio Tinti, who represents Inter duo Bastoni and Inzaghi.

Chelsea are in the market for a new centre-back, with Antonio Rudiger leaving for Real Madrid, Andreas Christensen departing and talk of Cesar Azpilicueta joining Barcelona.

Tottenham are also in the search for another defender as Antonio Conte looks to continue to invest to build a side capable of competing in the Premier League and Champions League.

Bastoni has been a name repeatedly linked with the two clubs, alongside Manchester United, but the Italy international's agent Tinti insists a move will not happen.

"Bastoni is currently on vacation," Tinti told reporters. "He is staying at Inter 100 per cent. We respect our contracts and are happy to discuss an extension when Inter call us."

Inter are said to be close to announcing a new contract for coach Inzaghi, who took over from Conte in 2021 and narrowly finished second in Serie A behind Milan.

Tinti simply responded "yes" when asked if the Inzaghi extension was agreed upon, with confirmation expected in the coming days.

Bastoni staying and the Inzaghi extension will provide a boost to Inter, who are aiming to bolster their attacking ranks with the additions of Paulo Dybala and Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku only left for Chelsea before the start of the 2021-22 campaign in a Blues' record £97.5million move, but is expected to return on loan to the Serie A side.

During his previous two-year spell, no Nerazzurri player scored more goals (64), provided more assists (17) or created as many chances (133) in all competitions than the Belgium international.

Thomas Frank hopes Christian Eriksen will choose to stay at Brentford, with a decision likely to follow from the midfielder in two weeks amid links with Manchester United.

Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest when playing for Denmark against Finland at Euro 2020 last July and was brought back to life on the pitch.

The 30-year-old was not allowed to play for Serie A side Inter on medical grounds as Italy prevent players from competing after having a cardioverter-defibrillator fitted.

Brentford offered the midfielder a six-month contract in January and he subsequently delivered, scoring once and assisting four times in 11 Premier League games to help the Bees maintain their top-flight status.

Eriksen has also created 30 chances since his Brentford debut in February, with only Martin Odegaard (38) and Kevin De Bruyne (42) providing more opportunities in the Premier League over that period.

The future of the Denmark star, who is reportedly a target of Erik ten Hag's United and former club Tottenham, remains uncertain, with Eriksen admitting he wants to play in the Champions League again.

Coach Frank believes Brentford could convince Eriksen to stay, though, after offering him his first chance back into football.

"I don't know, honestly - I know that we still have a chance. I hope that he will make the decision in the next two weeks because he is on vacation now," Frank told Spanish daily AS.

"The agreement is that you call me and tell me what you want to do. He hasn't decided yet."

Frank also recalled how a phone call with his son convinced him to attempt to sign Eriksen.

"The good story is that I coached Eriksen in the youth ranks in Denmark," he added. 

"I knew him, I had a good relationship with him and in October my son called me: 'Dad, why don't you contact Christian? He has to play football again'. 

"I told him that he was probably right, but then I drifted away from the subject a bit because there was no sign that Eriksen wanted to play again. 

"There were only small signs of his intention but then he already made it public that he wanted to play. Then my son called me again and said: 'Dad, now you really have to talk to him', and I told him that he was right. 

"I called Christian in December, we talked a bit about life and I asked him if he was considering playing football again at Brentford and he replied: 'The funny thing is that I thought of you too, we could do something'. 

"Eriksen wanted a safe start with a trustworthy coach, in the Premier League, in London... it was a very good fit. 

"I never doubted he would come back to a good level because I knew he was undergoing all kinds of tests and would be fine. He was convinced he was going to play well and now I hope we can keep him."

Manchester United are reportedly preparing a second offer for 22-year-old Porto striker Evanilson after they had a bid of €65million rejected by the Portuguese champions.

The Brazilian was purchased by Porto in 2020 for €8.8m out of Fluminense, and after scoring four goals from 24 appearances in his first season in the Primeira Liga, he exploded in his second campaign with 21 goals in 46 outings.

He had 14 goals and four assists in 30 league games, and seven goals in seven Taca de Portugal fixtures on the way to winning Portugal's top domestic cup.

 

TOP STORY – RED DEVILS PLAN BIG-MONEY MOVE FOR LITTLE-KNOWN BRAZILIAN

The report out of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo claims Porto has already fought off interest from both Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolves by raising their asking price to €80m.

Porto are said to be desperate to retain the striker's services for one more season – even labelling him 'untouchable' – but could have their hand forced if the Old Trafford side is willing to go all-in.

It would be a shock for United to fork out such a large sum for a striker while also trying to push Barcelona's asking price for Frenkie de Jong down to a more palatable number.

The Sun is also reporting Ajax winger Antony is a serious target for former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, Goal claims that they are hoping to convince Christian Eriksen to sign on as well, and Corriere dello Sport believe they are investigating the possibility of landing Tammy Abraham.

 

ROUND-UP

Arsenal have reportedly become the favourites to land Leeds United winger Raphinha as Barcelona's interest in the Brazilian cools off, according to Goal.

– The Daily Mail is reporting Chelsea have joined the race for Everton striker Richarlison, with Tottenham also in the bidding for the £50m man.

– According to Sky Sports, West Ham are planning a £30m bid for 20-year-old striker Armando Broja, who scored nine goals for Southampton last season while on loan from Chelsea.

Nottingham Forest are trying to break their club-record transfer fee to sign 24-year-old Nigerian striker Taiyo Awoniyi for £17.5m from German side Union Berlin, per the Telegraph, although Football Insider claims Awoniyi will turn them down in favour of other offers.

– Calciomercato is reporting Kalidou Koulibaly will not join Juventus because he does not want to be considered a "traitor" like Gonzalo Higuain after his move to Turin – instead favouring a move to Barcelona.

Tottenham are reportedly looking to swoop in with an offer for Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, who has been a key target this transfer period for rivals Arsenal.

Just days ago stories were written about Arsenal feeling "cautiously optimistic" about their chances of landing the 25-year-old Brazilian, despite their reported bid of £30million falling well below City's £50m asking price.

That move is now in jeopardy thanks to Tottenham's involvement, with the club able to offer Champions League football to the striker who has scored 20 Champions League goals across City's past five European campaigns (38 games).

 

TOP STORY – SPURS SWOOP IN WITH OFFER OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL

There is no doubt about Jesus' ability to perform at the highest level, scoring at least seven goals in each of his Premier League seasons since arriving as a 19-year-old. He has also added more creativity to his game, with 21 Premier League assists in his past three campaigns compared to 10 from his first three with City.

The Mirror reports another aspect of his game that Spurs boss Antonio Conte values is his willingness to play out wide on a wing, which means he could still complement star Harry Kane if their formation only calls for one striker.

It is not mentioned whether Tottenham are willing to meet City's asking price, but a second serious bidder will mean Arsenal's desire to land him for a much smaller figure is likely no longer possible.

 

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– Chelsea will loan striker Romelu Lukaku back to Inter for a fee of at least £8.5m, according to the Daily Mail.

– The Athletic is reporting that Raheem Sterling has been asking friends about life in west London after Fabrizio Romano revealed Chelsea had a £21.5m bid turned down for the City winger.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Manchester United are preparing another bid for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, but if Barcelona will not bring their asking price down, the Old Trafford club are prepared to pivot to Wolves' Ruben Neves.

– According to Sport, Bayern Munich are demanding €50m from Barcelona for Robert Lewandowski, while the Spanish club are currently offering €40m plus performance bonuses.

Newcastle United have been told by Bayer Leverkusen that 22-year-old French winger Moussa Diaby will cost €50m, according to The Sun.

Brad Friedel believes the opportunity to play under Antonio Conte is a "big pull" for Tottenham in the transfer market.

Spurs have wasted no time in strengthening their squad after qualifying for the Champions League, signing Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma.

Richarlison and Djed Spence are among the other players the London club have been linked with.

Former Spurs goalkeeper says the prospect of working with Conte will be a big draw.

"What I would like to see and which it's really nice to see happening is that Antonio Conte is given the pieces to his puzzle," he told Sky Sports.

"I would assume when the players are meeting him that it's a big pull that they're gonna be playing for him.

"It's happening fairly early, that's not how it normally happens at Tottenham.

"A lot of players are going to want to go to the clubs that they know they are gonna have Champions League football each and every year."

Introducing our third summer signing...  pic.twitter.com/GMEjKo1MH9

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 17, 2022

Bissouma featured 26 times for Brighton and Hove Albion last season and ranked fourth in their team in successful passes (1,059) as well as duels won (145). He was also second in completed tackles (49).

The Mali international had been linked with a number of top clubs and Friedel thinks he is a perfect fit for Conte's Tottenham.

"He very much fits Antonio Conte's style of play," the ex-United States international added.

"He seems that type of high-energy player that you could sit back and close players down like Conte wants, he can break quickly on the counter-attack, he has vision and a range of passing."

There had been speculation that Conte could leave Tottenham, with talk of a move to Paris Saint-Germain, but Friedel downplayed those fears.

"It seems like the board is really backing him," Friedel continued. "He wanted the players in that he wants to work with, that will fit in his style of play."

Yves Bissouma says he is struggling to believe he will be playing Champions League football after sealing his £25million move Tottenham.

The 25-year-old signed a four-year deal with Spurs on Friday, becoming Antonio Conte's third signing of the transfer window as the Italian looks to build on last season's fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Tottenham edged out local rivals Arsenal to secure Champions League qualification last month and had already added Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster to their squad before bringing in Bissouma.

Bissouma played 26 times for Brighton and Hove Albion as they secured an impressive ninth-placed finish last term.

The Mali international said he will fulfil a childhood dream by playing in Europe's premier club competition.

"I'm very happy to be here, happy to be a Spurs player and hopefully we're going to have a good season," he said. "I'm going to give everything to try to win every game, to stay at the top. 

"But, as everyone knows, the Premier League is not easy. We're going to work really hard to keep the ambition high.

"We have a good group, and a great coach, everyone knows him. I know I can pass this step with him. I know he will help me more to be what I want to be and try to help the team as well. I’m very happy to play with him.

"It's my dream to play Champions League. I remember when I was younger, I watched the Champions League every day. I can't believe [I'm going] to play Champions League with Spurs. 

"I was born in Ivory Coast, in my dad's village. When I was young football was my life, I wanted to play football every day, every moment. If I don't play football, I'm not happy.

"We just played on the street with friends, no shoes. But we enjoyed this moment, I was young, my friends as well. It's one part of my life. I was happy. 

"I've come so far, from Issia to Spurs, Champions League music... imagine. The emotion is too much."

Tottenham have completed the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma for a reported fee of £25million.

The 25-year-old signed a four-year deal with Antonio Conte's side on Friday.

Conte reportedly demanded assurances from Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy that his side would spend to compete with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea after qualifying for the Champions League.

The Italian has subsequently been granted his wishes, with the experienced Ivan Perisic and back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster joining the London club before they landed Bissouma.

Manchester City and Liverpool will come straight out of Champions League midweek action into the fire of a Premier League showdown in October.

After battling to the final day of the 2021-22 campaign in a title tussle that City edged, few would be surprised to see Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp's teams again battling it out for supremacy.

Chelsea, no longer owned by Roman Abramovich, will look to stake a claim, while Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal will hope to improve on last season's efforts.

A host of early season games catch the eye, perhaps none more than the Old Trafford clash between Manchester United and Liverpool on August 20.

Liverpool twice outclassed United last season, but it could be a different story now Erik ten Hag has moved into the Red Devils top job. The former Ajax head coach would make a major early statement if his team can deliver on that day

Here, Stats Perform looks at key games in the new season, after the fixtures were released on Thursday.


Chelsea v Tottenham - August 13

After a tricky opener at Everton, Chelsea face Tottenham in their first Stamford Bridge game of the campaign. It will mean Antonio Conte again returning to the club where he was a Premier League and FA Cup winner, looking to give Spurs an early season lift.

Chelsea will be a team to keep close tabs on in the post-Abramovich era, and last season's third-placed finishers will have an early examination of their credentials against the side who snatched fourth in May. These two are likely to be battling to finish as London's top team again, but could either finish any higher than third in the table this time around?

Newcastle United v Manchester City - August 20

Are Newcastle United going to pose any threat to the top six? This fixture might give us an indication.

Eddie Howe's side will have home advantage against the champions, and the Saudi-backed Magpies, thrashed 5-0 and 4-0 by City last season, must show greater defiance this time around.

Manchester United v Liverpool - August 20

Games against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford will mark Erik ten Hag's introduction to the Premier League. Going on last season's evidence, there is no guarantee United will breeze through those assignments, but they will hope to have banked six points by the time they encounter Liverpool, their fiercest rivals.

Jurgen Klopp's side walloped United 5-0 and 4-0 in the 2021-22 campaign, underlining the gulf in class between the two squads, and Ten Hag surely cannot afford such a similar morale-draining outcome this time.

Everton v Liverpool - September 3

Derby day. Will Frank Lampard's Everton kick on after the relief of avoiding relegation last term, or can Klopp's Reds follow last season's league double with another win at Goodison Park?

Anything other than a Liverpool victory would be a major surprise, of course, as Lampard battles to make his mark on Merseyside.

Manchester City v Tottenham - September 10

Sandwiched between the first two rounds of Champions League group games, this cheeky little number is one to watch. Tottenham did the league double over City last season, inflicting two of their three defeats in the competition.

Pep Guardiola will know what damage the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski can inflict, but can he stop those lethal Spurs counter-attacks this time?

Derby double: Arsenal v Tottenham, Manchester City v Manchester United - October 1

This promises to be quite some weekend, with north London and Manchester bragging rights up for grabs. Tottenham's 3-0 win over Arsenal in May paved the way for Spurs to pip their neighbours to a place in the Champions League, which left the Gunners hurting. In the north west, United barely threatened a top-four finish last term, and it is hard to see how Ten Hag mounts any sort of challenge to City's supremacy in the new campaign.

There was a 35-point gap between the sides at the end of the season, and it is essential that United at least get much closer. Games such as these can be catalysts for change, or they can be an opportunity for a side such as City to show their teeth and inflict more damage. Both return games are scheduled for January 14.

Liverpool v Manchester City - October 15

After the fourth round of Champions League group games in midweek, Liverpool and City switch their combined focus to this Anfield heavyweight battle. They are scheduled to play again on April 1, but this tussle on Merseyside provides the first Premier League meeting of the season between the title favourites.

Both league games finished 2-2 last season between these sides, while Liverpool sank City's hopes in the FA Cup semi-finals, only to miss out on the Premier League title after final-day high drama.

Could new recruits Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez make their mark on the hottest fixture on the calendar?

Nottingham Forest v Liverpool - October 22

A welcome return to the top-flight calendar for a classic fixture. Forest were a major force in the English game for many years, and a 23-year absence from the Premier League has made the heart grow fonder.

This City Ground game will stir up memories of Brian Clough's sides going head-to-head with those of Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish, and the classic games that ensued. Forest are unlikely to threaten the top six in the new campaign, but their presence among the elite again under Steve Cooper's assured leadership could see them serve up one or two big shocks.

Chelsea v Manchester City - January 2

The World Cup puts the Premier League campaign on hold for six weeks in mid-season, with a December 26 resumption soon followed by this meaty match-up.

By this point of the season, it should be reasonably clear which direction these teams are heading towards, and there can be no Qatar 2022 hangover for the players.

City took 1-0 wins home and away last season when these sides met in the league. Their second clash of the 2022-23 campaign comes on the penultimate weekend, pencilled in for May 20, and that could turn out to be even more significant than this contest.

Arsenal v Manchester United - January 21

Nobody expects Arsenal or United to win the Premier League this season. The Gunners have not lifted the trophy since their 2003-04 'Invincibles' season, while United were last champions in 2012-13.

Expect a barren decade in the competition to be completed for the Red Devils, but also expect an improvement under Ten Hag's leadership. This fixture carries a slowly diminishing cachet, but the prospect of Mikel Arteta and Ten Hag jostling for position in and around the Champions League places means it could be a massive moment in the season for these flagging yet still proud giants. They also meet in early September, but the stakes will be higher come this contest.

Tottenham will open their Premier League campaign at home to Southampton as Antonio Conte embarks on his first full season in charge.

Spurs will be out for revenge in their August 6 opener after Southampton scored two goals in three minutes to steal a 3-2 victory in this exact fixture last February.

That started a run of three losses in four league games, with the one victory perhaps surprisingly coming at Manchester City, as Spurs' form nosedived before they recovered to secure Champions League football.

While Ralph Hasenhuttl's side may pose a tough test, a more difficult challenge follows on the next matchday with a trip to Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea for Tottenham's first London derby of the season.

A trip to Premier League champions City comes on September 10, but all eyes will be on October 1 when Spurs visit Arsenal for the first meeting of the campaign between the north London rivals.

Conte's side face a challenging late April, hosting Manchester United before an away clash with Liverpool, while Tottenham will conclude their top-flight season at Leeds United.

Tottenham's 2022-23 Premier League fixtures in full:

06/08/2022 - Southampton (h)
13/08/2022 - Chelsea (a)
20/08/2022 - Tottenham (h)
27/08/2022 - Nottingham Forest (a)
30/08/2022 - West Ham (a)
03/09/2022 - Fulham (h)
10/09/2022 - Manchester City (a)
17/09/2022 - Leicester City (h)
01/10/2022 - Arsenal (a)
08/10/2022 - Brighton and Hove Albion (a)
15/10/2022 - Everton (h)
19/10/2022 - Manchester United (a)
22/10/2022 - Newcastle United (h)
29/10/2022 - Bournemouth (a)
05/11/2022 - Liverpool (h)
12/11/2022 - Leeds United (h)
26/12/2022 - Brentford (a)
31/12/2022 - Aston Villa (h)
02/01/2023 - Crystal Palace (a)
14/01/2023 - Arsenal (h)
21/01/2023 - Fulham (a)
04/02/2023 - Manchester City (h)
11/02/2023 - Leicester City (a)
18/02/2023 - West Ham (h)
25/02/2023 - Chelsea (h)
04/03/2023 - Wolves (a)
11/03/2023 - Nottingham Forest (h)
18/03/2023 - Southampton (a)
01/04/2023 - Everton (a)
08/04/2023 - Brighton and Hove Albion (h)
15/04/2023 - Bournemouth (h)
22/04/2023 - Newcastle United (a)
25/04/2023 - Manchester United (h)
29/04/2023 - Liverpool (a)
06/05/2023 - Crystal Palace (h)
13/05/2023 - Aston Villa (a)
20/05/2023 - Brentford (h)
28/05/2023 - Leeds United (a)

Manchester City will start their Premier League title defence at West Ham, while Frank Lampard will host his former club Chelsea with Everton on the opening weekend.

City pipped Liverpool to their fourth English top-flight crown under Pep Guardiola and there will be significant interest around their August 7 opener at London Stadium, where new signing Erling Haaland could make his debut after arriving from Borussia Dortmund.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool will aim to mount another title charge in the 2022-23 campaign and they go to newly promoted Fulham for their first game.

Chelsea eased into third place last term and their first league game of the Todd Boehly era sees them travel to face Blues great Lampard at Everton, who narrowly avoided relegation to maintain their top-flight status.

Manchester United finished in a disappointing sixth last campaign, with a 4-0 thrashing at Brighton and Hove Albion a low point, and they host the Seagulls in what will be Erik ten Hag's first game in charge.

Arsenal will visit Crystal Palace on August 5 as the season's opening game, while promoted side Bournemouth are at home to Aston Villa.

Antonio Conte's Tottenham sneaked into the Champions League last season and open their campaign at home to Southampton, with Nottingham Forest playing their first top-flight fixture in 23 years away at Newcastle United, who climbed out the relegation zone under Eddie Howe in the previous term.

Testing opening for Liverpool, Guardiola faces late Blues clash

Liverpool were in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple for much of the 2021-22 season, but fell short and ended up with just the EFL Cup and FA Cup crowns to their name.

Klopp's side will be tested in the opening weeks of the season, facing four – United, Chelsea, City and Arsenal – of the traditional 'big six' sides in the first 11 games, alongside a Merseyside derby at Everton on September 9.

The first clash between United and Liverpool will come just three matchdays into the season, with the Reds visiting Old Trafford on August 20.

Liverpool then head Chelsea and Arsenal either side of the late September international break, with champions City travelling to Anfield just a week after the Gunners trip.

Supporters in Manchester will eagerly await October 1 for the first meeting between United and City at Etihad Stadium, while the first north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal comes on the same day.

The Premier League title race went down to the wire last campaign, and City could face a tough task if it does so again as they host Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea in an enticing clash on the penultimate weekend.

Premier League opening weekend fixtures:

Crystal Palace v Arsenal
Bournemouth v Aston Villa
Everton v Chelsea
Fulham v Liverpool
Leeds United v Wolves
Leicester City v Brentford
Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest
Tottenham v Southampton
Manchester United v Brighton and Hove Albion
West Ham v Manchester City

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