Antonio Conte is pleasantly surprised to see Christian Eriksen back in the Premier League, and the Tottenham boss admits he would love to work with the midfielder again.

Eriksen has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark's match against Finland at Euro 2020 in June, but he has signed a short-term deal with Brentford.

Due to the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device surgically implanted within his chest in the wake of the incident, Eriksen was ineligible for professional football in Italy, meaning he had to leave Inter, who he had played for since joining from Tottenham in January 2020.

Indeed, Eriksen played under Conte at Inter, helping the Nerazzurri end their long wait for a Serie A title last season.

He is now set to make his comeback. After training with his former club Ajax, Eriksen joined up with Brentford at the end of the January transfer window.

Though Conte said Spurs had not discussed the possibility of bringing Eriksen back to north London, the Italian did not rule out a possible reunion in the future, explaining he met the midfielder by chance in a hotel on Sunday.

"No, honestly we didn't talk about [re-signing him]. I am surprised about this situation," Conte told a news conference ahead of Wednesday's clash with Southampton.

"I thought he needed more time to come back, to play in England. For Tottenham, he is part of the story and to come back here could be a good opportunity for me and him and the club.

"But now he's signed for Brentford only for six months, we will see what happens. I met him on Sunday, it was good to speak with him and see him with his family, and I will be the first person to be very happy to see him on the pitch again.

"We spent a good time at Inter, we won the league and spent important seasons together. Wish him the best in the future. You don't know what will happen. It would be good to have him again and work together."

Eriksen signed for Spurs in 2013, shortly before Gareth Bale's departure to Real Madrid.

He went on to make 226 Premier League appearances, creating 571 goalscoring opportunities – far more than any other Spurs player from September 14, 2013, when Eriksen made his debut, to January 28, 2020, when he left for Inter. Dele Alli, who has now left for Everton, ranked second with 218.

Of those opportunities, 73 were classed as big chances (a chance from which Opta would expect the average player to score), another team-high, as was his tally of 62 assists.

Indeed, only Harry Kane (136) boasted more league goals for Spurs in the same timeframe than Eriksen's 51, eight of which came directly from free-kicks.

Antonio Conte insists he was never worried about Harry Kane's form despite the Tottenham striker enduring something of a slump in the first half of the season.

Kane looked a shadow of his usual self earlier in the campaign, scoring just one Premier League goal under Nuno Espirito Santo.

His performance certainly did not improve dramatically after Conte's arrival, as the England captain's next Premier League goal only arrived on December 19.

But since Christmas, Kane has netted six times in nine games across all competitions, including a brace in Saturday's 3-1 FA Cup defeat of Brighton and Hove Albion.

During Nuno's brief reign, it was felt Spurs were not getting enough out of Kane in any sense – he averaged just 0.24 expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes in the Premier League, his worst record under any Spurs manager in a single season, while his touches of the ball dipped significantly to an average of 38.4 each game.

This showed he was not snuffing out many clear-cut opportunities and his general influence had waned, but under Conte he has seemingly recovered – he averages 0.56 xG each match, a record he has only bettered in 2017-18 (0.65) and 2013-14 (0.89, under Tim Sherwood), while he is touching the ball 46.3 times per game.

While he is still technically under-performing in relation to xG with 0.3 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, he has improved as a goal threat. Not that Conte had any concerns, though.

"Honestly, I wasn't worried before in the past when he didn't score a lot, because his performance was always very, very high," Conte told reporters. "He played very well in every game for the team, he worked a lot for the team and is a fantastic player for me.

"He's not selfish but now that he's scoring I'm happy for him and the team, because if he scores we have more probability to get three points or go to the next round in a trophy competition.

"As I said to you before, in the past his performances were very, very, very positive for me, despite him not scoring a lot in the past. We're talking about a world-class striker. He's able to score in every game. We've also to try to help him to score."

Kane himself recently commented how he believes he is the fittest he has ever been.

Conte is renowned for being a demanding coach on the training ground, particularly when it comes to the physical aspects.

And it is focusing on this side of things, and building their setup around him, that Conte believes has improved Kane's overall sharpness

"Surely when you have a player like Harry, you have to try to involve him in your tactical idea of football," Conte continued. "He's an important player for us and he has to be a point of reference when we develop our football offensively.

"We're trying to work with him in many aspects. I think that every single player can improve until the end when he decides to stop his career.

"We're talking about a really good person who shows desire every day during training sessions. He's available with his teammates and is always ready to speak about football, to try to improve and also to see new tactical situations.

"I repeat, we're talking about a world-class striker and I'm trying to help him to become also better and better. Me, my staff on the physical aspect we are working – but not only with him, with all the team.

"To reduce our gap [in the Premier League], it's very important to improve every single player in many aspects. If this player is Kane, we're talking about a world-class striker, but it's the same for [Dane] Scarlett. We have to try to improve every single player, and in this way we can improve as a team and be more competitive than before."

Former Tottenham and Belgium midfielder Mousa Dembele has announced he will retire from football when his Guangzhou City contract expires later this year.

The 34-year-old spent six and a half years with Tottenham and has also previously played for Fulham, AZ, Willem II and Belgian side Germinal Beerschot.

Dembele joined Guangzhou in January 2019 and has made 47 appearances for the club in the Chinese Super League.

But the former Belgium international, who was capped 82 times and played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, intends to call time on his career when the 2022 CSL season – set to begin in April – concludes.

"Thank you for all the nice messages," Dembele posted on his personal Instagram page on Tuesday.

"Just to be clear, I haven't stopped yet. I still have a year left on my contract, but I can already share I will stop my career after this year is finished."

Dembele is the second member of Belgium's so-called 'Golden Generation' to announce his retirement this year, with Thomas Vermaelen doing so last month following a spell with Vissel Kobe.

Middlesbrough's reward for knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup is a home tie with Tottenham in the fifth round.

Chris Wilder's Boro eliminated the Red Devils on Friday on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and will now face Antonio Conte's Spurs, who beat Brighton 3-1 on Saturday.

Only one guaranteed all-Premier League tie was drawn for the fifth round with Southampton hosting West Ham after David Moyes' side survived a scare at National League North outfit Kidderminster Harriers.

Among the Premier League elite, Chelsea will travel to Luton Town,  Manchester City are away to Peterborough United, and Liverpool will welcome Norwich City to Anfield should they get past Cardiff City on Sunday.

Cup holders Leicester will be at home to Huddersfield Town if they beat Nottingham Forest, while Stoke City travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.

Frank Lampard's Everton will play either Bournemouth or Boreham Wood at Goodison Park, where the former Chelsea boss got off to a tremendous start with a 4-1 win over Brentford on Saturday.

FA Cup fifth-round draw in full:

Luton Town v Chelsea, Crystal Palace v Stoke City, Peterborough United v Manchester City, Liverpool or Cardiff City v Norwich City, Southampton v West Ham, Middlesbrough v Tottenham, Nottingham Forest or Leicester City v Huddersfield Town, Everton v Bournemouth or Boreham Wood.

Ties will be played week commencing February 28.

Sweden striker Alexander Isak's reputation continues to grow at Real Sociedad.

The 22-year-old has netted eight goals in all competitions this season after 17 strikes in LaLiga last term.

Isak is contracted with Sociedad until 2026, meaning they are under no pressure to cash him in.

However, there appears to be plenty of interest among clubs who want to test La Real's resolve to keep him.

TOP STORY – BLUES AND RED DEVILS ENTER ISAK RACE

Chelsea and Manchester United have both joined the race to sign Real Sociedad forward Alexander Isak, according to The Mirror.

Arsenal have been keen on the 22-year-old Sweden international, who has a £75million buyout clause in his contract.

United are said to view Isak as an ideal replacement for veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo whose future at Old Trafford is unclear.

ROUND-UP

- Juventus are bullish that they can beat Tottenham in the race to sign Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Bianconeri view Zaniolo as a replacement for Paulo Dybala, whose contract is running down.

- Manchester United and Liverpool have joined Real Madrid and Barcelona in keeping tabs on Serge Gnabry's contract situation at Bayern Munich, reports The Mirror. According to Sky Germany, Bayern and Gnabry are having a stand-off in discussions over an extension.

- Liverpool's deal to land Fulham's Fabio Carvalho is not dead, says Football Insider, with the two parties set for new talks with a view to an off-season switch. Calciomercato claims that Milan have also reached out to Carvalho's representatives.

- The Sun reports that Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea are monitoring 16-year-old Blackburn Rovers defender Ashley Phillips, with Everton and Tottenham also keeping tabs on the teenager.

Antonio Conte hailed the attitude and commitment of Harry Kane after the Tottenham captain's double in their 3-1 FA Cup over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Kane's brace, sandwiched by an own goal by Solly March and a deflected Yves Bissouma strike for Brighton, booked Tottenham's place in the fifth round.

Son Heung-min returned from a hamstring injury while Cristian Romero was back in action for Spurs following a thigh problem.

New signings Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur also came off the bench to make their debuts, leaving plenty of reasons for Conte to be satisfied.

Asked if Kane, who now has three goals in his last three games in all competitions, is returning to his best, Conte replied: "For sure we need to try to improve the players, no? And I think Harry, also in the past, when in the games that he didn't score, I liked his performance.

"Harry is a player who's scored a lot in the past as a number nine, but I think what we can appreciate - me and also the whole team - is his attitude and commitment for the team.

"I think this is the most important thing for us. Then for sure, to score two goals is important because he's number nine, he's used to scoring goals and he's also improving his... we are working on the physical condition with the team.

"We're trying to improve the intensity, also during the training sessions. I think all these situations can improve the performance with all the players.

"For sure, I'm happy for him but I'm happy for the whole team. I'm happy for Son and Romero to come back into our team. It was important."

On Son's return, Conte added: "It was good news for us. Sonny is an important player for us. He's decisive. He knows that very well.

"Today I wanted to give him 65-70 minutes because when you come back after injury, I prefer in a week when we have three games, to manage very well Son and also Romero.

"Because after serious injury, to have them back was good news but also we have to try to manage them very well and not take risks because they're important players for us."

Harry Kane scored twice as Tottenham booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

The England captain got the hosts on their way with a curled effort from outside the penalty area for his 12th goal in his past 12 appearances in the competition. 

Emerson Royal's cross was then diverted into his own net by Solly March shortly after the midway point of the first half as Tottenham went in at the interval with a commanding lead. 

Yves Bissouma's deflected strike looked like it would set up a dramatic final 25 minutes, but Kane put the game to bed with a bundled finish from close range. 

Kane put Spurs ahead in the 13th minute with a sumptuous strike into Robert Sanchez's top-left corner from 22 yards after Adam Webster had lost possession cheaply.

They doubled their advantage 11 minutes later when Emerson's cross after a run from inside his own half was deflected over Sanchez by the foot of March.

Neal Maupay flashed over from a promising position inside the penalty area, yet the Seagulls never truly looked like reducing the deficit during a tepid first-half showing. 

Brighton improved dramatically after the break and they pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when Bissouma's strike from 20 yards was deflected past Hugo Lloris by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Kane restored Spurs' two-goal cushion just three minutes later, though, prodding in from almost on the line after a mazy run from Son Heung-min had carved open the Brighton backline.

What does it mean? Brighton's sorry run in north London continues

This was Tottenham's eighth straight home win against Brighton in all competitions and it was not hard to see why they have such a strong record. 

Graham Potter's men improved in the second half, but the damage had largely been done in a first half that was characterised by constant, and incisive, Spurs attacks. 

Kane on fire 

It has not been a vintage season from Kane, but he was back to his very best here. His two goals came from a game-high five shots, while no player on the pitch made more than his two key passes. 

Sloppy Webster costs Seagulls

Webster lost possession more times than anyone else on the pitch (19), with one such moment leading to Kane's opener, while he did not cover himself in glory trying to halt Son in the build-up to Kane's second just after the Seagulls had clawed their way back into the game.

What's next?

Spurs are at home to Southampton in the Premier League on Wednesday, while Brighton return to top-flight action on Saturday when they visit strugglers Watford. 

Declan Rice has long since been linked with a move to Manchester United and the Red Devils' pursuit is reportedly set to step up a notch.

England midfielder Rice is a man seemingly in demand, even though suitors will likely have to stump up a minimum of £100million to land him.

With Manchester City and Chelsea also said to be interested, United are aiming to be at the front of the queue for his signature.

TOP STORY – RICE A MAN IN DEMAND

Manchester United are likely to wait until a permanent manager is in place to make their moves in the market, with Ralf Rangnick remaining in charge on a temporary basis until the end of the campaign.

But the Mirror reports that Rice remains high on their list of priorities with United aiming to overhaul their midfield ahead of next season.

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips and RB Leipzig's Amadou Haidara are apparently also high on United's shortlist of targets.

ROUND-UP

- The Red Devils are set to be busy in the close-season with Barcelona's highly rated centre-back Ronald Araujo on their radar, according to the Mirror. The defender, who is entering the final 18 months of his contract, is thought to be attracting interest from Manchester City too.

- Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash has emerged as a transfer target for LaLiga giants Atletico Madrid, according to Fabrizio Romano. Atleti allowed Kieran Trippier to join Newcastle United in January.

- The Sun reported that Arsenal are set to complete a triple swoop for Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Alexander Isak of Real Sociedad and Wolves' Ruben Neves in the next transfer window.

- Lille centre-back Sven Botman is still high on Newcastle United's radar despite a deal not being able to be struck during the last window, says the Athletic.

- Victor Osimhen remains a top target for Tottenham, writes Football Insider. Spurs will need to stump up around £60m to land the Napoli striker.

Antonio Conte has urged Tottenham to be more careful in the transfer market after suggesting the club was guilty of making "mistakes in the past".

Spurs allowed Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil all leave the club on loan in January, while Dele Alli joined Everton on a permanent deal.

Alli undoubtedly flourished for a time at Spurs, but Lo Celso and Ndombele have so far proven to be expensive flops since joining in 2019.

Lo Celso, signed for an initial £27.8million (€32m) from Real Betis, was shipped off to Villarreal with a purchase option, while Ndombele – a club-record signing at £55m (€63m) – was sent back to Lyon, who retain the right to buy him for a reported €65m (£54m).

Spurs do at least appear to retain hope for Spain international winger Bryan, 20, whose temporary switch to Valencia does not include any purchase clauses or obligations.

However, Conte's general appraisal of the situation does not reflect especially well on any of them, nor those in charge of transfers at Spurs.

"Usually you buy players to reinforce your team," Conte told reporters on Friday. "But if you send on loan after two or three years, it is strange.

"It means that maybe in the past you have to see what you did and maybe to understand that there were some mistakes in the past.

"We have to pay more attention in the future when we go into the market. It becomes a fundamental importance if we want to enforce the team, otherwise you drop the quality of your team."

Tottenham were active with incomings as well, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski joining from Juventus. Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici previously signed both players during his spell in charge of the Bianconeri.

While neither player ultimately fitted the bill in Turin, Conte appeared excited by their respective arrivals in north London.

"We are talking about two players who are the right prospects for the club's philosophy, young players, talented players to develop and improve to then become important players in the future," he said.

"They have the right experience, Bentancur, for sure, has played many games for Juventus, Kulusevski as well. To be able to sign these two players was good, because they complete our squad.

"We needed to add another player in the midfield. We played with only three midfielders – [Pierre-Emil] Hojbjerg, Winksy [Harry Winks], [Oliver] Skipp.

"We needed to add another player, and we added a good player. Not only to add one player, but a good player.

"Rodrigo has a lot of space for improvement, he played for his national team, 200 games [for Juve and Boca Juniors] despite his age; he's only 24 years old. He's won in Italy. Yes, a good signing for us."

Winger Kulusevski had previously been tipped for a big future at Juve when initially signed from Atalanta amid a breakthrough loan spell with Parma in 2019-20, the year he was named Serie A's Young Player of the Season.

Conte is confident Kulusevski's versatility will be an asset, and he is even confident the wide attacker could operate effectively as a wing-back.

"Dejan has the characteristic to play, in my mind, behind the striker, one of the two number 10s we have behind our striker. At the same time, he has the capacity to play as a wing-back, on the right. He also likes to do this because physically, he's very strong, he has good quality," Conte said.

Conte was said to want to use Adama Traore, another winger, as a wing-back before he chose Barcelona over Tottenham.

Manchester United's search for a new full-time manager continues.

Ralf Rangnick has been in interim charge at Old Trafford since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal in November.

English powerhouse United have failed to win any silverware since 2017

TOP STORY - MAN UTD CONFIDENT ON LANDING POCHETTINO

Manchester United have renewed confidence that they will land Paris Saint-Germain head coach Pochettino as their new boss, claims The Mirror.

The Argentine is understood to be United's number one candidate for the permanent role.

Footmercato claims Pochettino is tired of the constant criticism he has received at PSG and will not stay beyond this season.

ROUND-UP

- Manchester City are on verge of tabling an offer to Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland to make him one of the highest paid players in the Premier League, according to Todofichajes.

- The Sun reports that Arsenal are planning for a £180 million off-season spend, with Real Sociedad's Alexander Isak, Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Wolves' Ruben Neves among their targets. However, this is dependent on Arsenal finishing top four.

- Chelsea will open pre-contract agreement talks with Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele after he failed to make a deadline day move, claims Sky Sports. 

- Chelsea are also eyeing a move for Real Madrid defender Eder Militao as they plan for the departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, according to AS.

- Juventus and Milan are leading the race to land Roma's Nicolo Zaniolo reports Sky Italia. Roma are looking to cash in Zaniolo in the off-season, with Tottenham also interested.

Dele Alli made the right decision to leave Tottenham for Everton and can return to his very best at Goodison Park, according to former Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate.

Alli's seven-year spell at Tottenham came to an end on Monday, leaving for Merseyside in what is said to be an initial free transfer.

Everton will reportedly be obliged to pay £10million for the midfielder after he makes 20 appearances, with subsequent performance-based add-ons that may take the eventual figure as high as £40m.

After signing for Spurs in January 2015, but initially staying at MK Dons on loan, Alli swiftly became a key player under Mauricio Pochettino.

He has failed to maintain that form in recent seasons, though, and Woodgate, who played for Tottenham between 2008 and 2011, believes Alli can return to the peak of his powers under new Toffees boss Frank Lampard.

"I think he needed to get out of Spurs, to be honest with you," Woodgate exclusively told Stats Perform. "I think in the Pochettino era, he was one of the best players in the Premier League. He was in the England squad regularly and sometimes it's just that manager that really believes in you and gives you that confidence to play well.

"I mean, you don't turn into a bad player overnight. Dele Alli will be good again at Everton, no doubt about that, and with the right manager it'll give him more confidence and put him on a platform to put him in the right position for him to go and do what we know he can do.

"Because at Tottenham, he was scoring goals for fun, he was running forward, he was assisting, he moved a bit like a Rolls Royce-type player. He always had time on the ball, but something hasn't gone right from the last few managers. [Jose] Mourinho, [Antonio] Conte and [Nuno Espirito] Santo. In the Pochettino era, he was absolutely outstanding."

Woodgate also weighed in on Harry Kane's failed move to Manchester City in the early weeks of the season, saying he understood the striker's stance.

Having expressed his desire to leave Spurs at the end of last season, the England captain was strongly linked with a record-breaking transfer to the Premier League champions during the transfer window.

But despite City boss Pep Guardiola publicly stating his interest in Kane, a move failed to materialise with Spurs refusing to negotiate.

Kane was heavily criticised by supporters for his position, but Woodgate believes it is only natural he would look elsewhere to get his hands on some silverware.

"I think everyone was surprised at the time," he added. "I think everyone really was because no one envisaged him coming out in the middle of the season saying that he wanted to really leave and go and move on.

"I can see his point because he wants to win the Premier League. Who wouldn't want to win the Premier League? Is he going to do that with Spurs? Not at the minute because they haven't got that calibre of player.

"They've got the right manager in but they need more players like Kane and like Son [Heung-min] to really have a go at the league. But they've got some progression to do. We've got to climb huge steps to get anywhere near the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City at the minute."

Former Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate is stunned that Tottenham managed to hire Antonio Conte as their manager, and believes the Italian has Spurs supporters in the "palm of his hand".

Conte, who left Inter after guiding them to the Serie A title last season, was appointed by Spurs on November 2 following the dismissal of Nuno Espirito Santo.

He has overseen an upturn in their fortunes since then, with Spurs winning six of their 10 Premier League games to force their way back into contention for a Champions League qualification place.

Woodgate, who played for Tottenham between 2008 and 2011, is in awe of Conte's managerial record and says the Spurs hierarchy should give him whatever he wants as he bids to cement the north London club as serious top-four contenders.

"I don't know how they got Conte to be honest with you," he exclusively told Stats Perform. "I don't know how they got him because he's the best manager Spurs will have. Period.

"I think he's an incredible manager. What he did at Chelsea, what he did at Inter, what he did at Juventus, he's managed the national team.

"He signed a contract to the end of next season, so it'll be interesting to see what the off-season brings because I think if it doesn't bring the players that he wants, then it's going to be very interesting. 

"And we know what type of character Antonio Conte is. We know what he's like. He's ruthless in his thinking, he's ruthless in what he wants to do.

"Look what he did last year with Inter, they won the league and he didn't get something in his own way so he left. Because it's either his way or no one's, really. So that's going to be interesting how that plays out.

"He's got the Spurs fans in the palm of his hand. They absolutely adore him, they're eating out of the palm of his hand, because they see his passion on the sideline. 

"And I think that signing of Conte can only bring good times back to Spurs if he's backed and if he gets the right players that he wants."

Despite the signings of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus on transfer deadline day, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy continues to receive criticism from supporters for a perceived lack of investment in the playing squad.

Woodgate, though, thinks Levy deserves more respect for what he has achieved at the club.

"I think everyone needs to start getting off his back, because what he's done for Tottenham has been incredible, really," he added. 

"Bringing Mauricio Pochettino to the club for starters, was a masterstroke. So let's think of what he's done for the club. The new stadium has been absolutely fantastic. He's made money for the club. Harry Kane didn't go; he stopped him from going. 

"Spurs have got to be slightly creative in the transfer market, because they're up against Man City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. So they need to be a little bit creative in who they sign.

"The top players, they have lists, they have categories. So most of these top players are going to be on the top lists of Man United, Liverpool, Chelsea and then where are Spurs going to go? So they can't go for the top one, because the top clubs are always going to want him."

Tanguy Ndombele has not tried to shift the blame for his underwhelming Tottenham performances as he accepts he is risking his career by returning to Lyon on loan.

Ndombele was a £55.5million (€62m) signing for Spurs in 2019 but re-joined former club Lyon on Monday in a temporary move that could become permanent for €65m.

The midfielder failed to show in England why Tottenham had invested so heavily in his services.

After creating 47 chances and laying on seven assists in his final season in Ligue 1, Ndombele played only 30 key passes and contributed five assists in two and a half years in the Premier League.

There were mitigating factors, with Ndombele signed by Mauricio Pochettino, who soon left to be replaced by Jose Mourinho. Nuno Espirito Santo and then Antonio Conte followed.

But the 25-year-old said on Wednesday: "It's not the fault of coaches if I had a little trouble at Tottenham.

"It's the right time for me [to return to Lyon]. For my adaptation, coming back here is the best. I hesitated: I went out through the front door, and coming back I'm taking a risk.

"If I had thought about [it hurting my pride], I wouldn't have come back. I saw the project in front of me, I saw that it was interesting for me, and for the club, too.

"But I don't think that's the easiest option. If there wasn't a good team, I don't think I would have taken that risk."

Lyon hope Ndombele is not the only player to return from north London this year, with out-of-contract Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette – who scored exactly 100 Ligue 1 goals for the club, at a rate of one every 150 minutes – a target.

He was one of several former Lyon men referenced as potential signings by Jean-Michel Aulas when presenting Ndombele to the media.

"In our context, [Lacazette] is more affordable than Benzema," Aulas said. "We have to try to see if we can do it as a free player, but we won't be alone."

Aulas also discussed outgoing transfers, with Ndombele set to replace star man Bruno Guimaraes, who departed for Newcastle United.

"Newcastle's first request for Bruno, we refused it," Aulas said. "It seemed logical to us.

"Events made us think differently then. We're happy with the deal, coming out of a difficult pandemic period for all clubs. We turned a weakness into an opportunity."

Everton new boy Dele Alli has issued a message of gratitude to former club Tottenham after making a deadline day move to Goodison Park – and made special mention of former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Alli's seven-year spell at Tottenham came to an end on Monday, leaving for Merseyside in what is said to be an initial free transfer.

Everton will reportedly be obliged to pay £10million for the midfielder after he makes 20 appearances, with subsequent performance-based add-ons that may take the eventual figure as high as £40m.

The 25-year-old recorded 67 goals and 55 assists in 269 games for Spurs, having moved to White Hart Lane from MK Dons in 2015.

Alli took to social media on Tuesday to thank his former club, saying they will "always" be in his heart.

"It's the end of a chapter but not the book," he wrote. "Thank you for all the messages. I've had an incredible seven years at Tottenham and have made some lifelong friends that now feel like family! I want to wish my brothers all the best for the rest of the season and more. 

"To the fans I want to say thank you. We've had some incredible moments together that will stay with me for the rest of my life and I will never forget the amazing support you have given me. Playing for you was a dream come true and you will always be in my heart.

"I want to give a special mention to Mauricio [Pochettino] and his staff for their trust and guidance in the early part of my career at Spurs, which gave me the confidence and platform to show what I can do. 

"I love you all and wish you the best for the future!"

Arsenal cancelled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contract to pave the way for the striker to join Barcelona, while Ousmane Dembele remains at Camp Nou following an eventful transfer day across Europe.

Aubameyang had five months to run on his Emirates Stadium deal but was told he could join Barca on a free transfer, which is set to be announced by the LaLiga giants on Tuesday.

Despite some confirmed interest from at least one club in England, and the threat of not playing for the rest of the season, Dembele opted to stay put in Catalonia until at least the end of the season.

Those players were discussed heavily throughout deadline day, but arguably the most remarkable transfer happened early on Monday when Christian Eriksen officially joined Brentford.

It marks a return to the Premier League – and indeed a football pitch – for Eriksen, just seven months after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020 and subsequently being fitted with a heart-starting device.

Newcastle live up to big-spending billing

In their first transfer window under their new ownership, Newcastle United spent more than any side on the continent and rounded things off by bringing in some much-needed defensive options in Dan Burn and Matt Targett.

Boyhood Newcastle fan Burn joined from Brighton and Hove Albion in a reported £13million deal, while left-back Targett will spend the rest of the season at St James' Park on loan from Aston Villa.

But it was not all good news for the Magpies as they missed out on a deal for France Under-20s striker Hugo Ekitike, who is reported to have had second thoughts and decided to remain at Reims. There was also no move for Jesse Lingard.

Tottenham and Juventus the busiest clubs

Antonio Conte was backed by the Tottenham board on deadline day with the arrivals of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski as part of a double deal with Juventus.

Bentancur is reported to have cost Spurs an initial £15.9m (€19m) on a deal that will run through until the end of the 2025-26 season, and he will be joined in north London by Kulusevski on an initial 18-month loan with the option to buy.

It was not all about incoming activity for Tottenham in the final stages of the window, though, as club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele was returned to Lyon for the rest of the season and Bryan Gil and Giovanni Lo Celso were loaned out to LaLiga sides Valencia and Villarreal respectively.

And in a deal that went through more than an hour after the 23:00 GMT cut-off point, Dele Alli joined Everton in a transfer that could potentially earn Spurs £40m should various clauses be triggered.

Having offloaded Bentancur and Kulusevski, meanwhile, Juve further trimmed their squad by allowing Aaron Ramsey to sign for Rangers until the end of the campaign, with those deals offset by the arrival of Denis Zakaria from Borussia Monchengladbach.

Big boys quiet

Manchester City got a deal over the line for Argentina international Julian Alvarez before loaning the young forward straight back to River Plate, but it was otherwise a relatively quiet day for Europe's elite clubs.

Manchester United's only piece of business on Monday was allowing midfield outcast Donny van de Beek join Everton on loan, while Liverpool let Nat Phillips head to Bournemouth for the rest of 2021-22. The second-tier Cherries also signed Todd Cantwell, recently a target for Liverpool, to bolster their promotion ambitions.

Liverpool had hoped to bring in highly rated youngster Fabio Carvalho from Fulham, but a deal is reported to have fallen through shortly before the cut-off point after terms had already been agreed.

There was no such activity for fellow Premier League heavyweights Chelsea, as was the case for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain – despite links with Dembele – Bayern Munich, Inter, Milan and Real Madrid.

But reigning Spanish champions Atletico Madrid did manage to strengthen at left-back by bringing in Reinildo Mandava from French champions Lille.

Other notable deals...

Unsurprisingly, Premier League clubs flexed their financial muscles in a final attempt to strengthen before the deadline.

Crystal Palace turned striker Jean-Philippe Mateta's loan from Mainz into a permanent deal and Burnley signed Wout Weghorst from Wolfsburg, who moved quickly to bring in FC Copenhagen striker Jonas Wind as a replacement.

Elsewhere, Deniz Undav put pen to paper with Brighton before being loaned back to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The Seagulls also signed Benicio Baker-Boaitey on loan from Porto with a view to a permanent move.