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Liverpool: Jones delivers transfer verdict

Liverpool’s next transfer target has been revealed, following the recent signing of Benfica hotshot, Darwin Nunez…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Merseyside outfit’s next priority this summer will be to focus on bringing in a central midfielder, having wrapped up a club-record deal for the Uruguayan in recent days.

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Looking ahead to what manager Jurgen Klopp will do next in the current window, Jones stated that the centre of the park is the German’s main focus: “I think it’s the next big position that he’ll be looking at. We know they’ve had an eye on players like Tchouameni recently, and they might have gone through with it, but they were definitely keeping an eye on players at that level.

“If Milner would have gone and Oxlade-Chamberlain was leaving, then I would feel like they had reason to strengthen right now. But, as it stands right now, Liverpool have got loads of numbers in that area of the field.”

As the respected source alluded to, the Reds had been heavily linked with a move for French starlet Aurelien Tchouameni in recent months, although the 22-year-old has since opted to make the switch from Monaco to 14-time European champions, Real Madrid.

Supporters buzzing

That verdict will no doubt be music to the ears of the Anfield faithful, with supporters likely to be demanding even more transfer activity in the coming weeks, despite fending off rival interest to land the highly-coveted Nunez.

Even at the end of a campaign that so nearly saw Klopp’s men swoop an unprecedented quadruple, the belief is that the Premier League powerhouse will need to strengthen once again if they are to keep pace with title winners Manchester City, particularly with the Etihad outfit having added Erling Haaland to their stellar squad.

Having begun to assemble an enviable forward line of their own – even with Sadio Mane’s looming exit – the FA Cup winners will now need to focus on other areas of the pitch, with adding further quality in the centre of midfield seemingly a must.

The current first-choice trio of Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho were instrumental in that stellar campaign last term, although some younger, fresher legs could well be needed, hence the previous interest in the aforementioned Tchouameni.

Equally, the former Borussia Dortmund boss also has a number of fringe players in his midfield ranks that may need to be moved on, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain having been heavily linked with a £10m exit this summer.

There has been a suggestion that England wonderkid Jude Bellingham is a top priority for FSG, although the teenager is likely to be a target of the future, with it yet to be seen just who could be coming through the door in the current window.

Nevertheless, just knowing that Liverpool aren’t resting on their laurels and are still keen to bolster their ranks will be welcome news to the club’s supporters.

AND in other news: Bid made: FSG now in LFC talks to land “world class” £60m “storm”, imagine him & Nunez

Newcastle may be interested in Yann Sommer

Newcastle United may be interested in a move Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, journalist Alex Crook has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

According to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, Eddie Howe is ‘exploring his options in terms of livening up the competition’ for Martin Dubravka’s number one spot next season.

The Slovakian missed the start of the 2021/22 campaign through injury but returned against Arsenal in November and started every Premier League match thereafter.

Sommer is valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, with only 12 months remaining on his deal at Borussia Park.

The latest

Crook said that he has learned that Sommer may be one of the options under consideration at St James’ Park, telling Newcastle supporters to ‘keep an eye on that one’, with the Magpies potentially sensing the opportunity for a bargain deal for the 33-year-old.

He told GiveMeSport: “The name I was given this week was Yann Sommer at Monchengladbach, the Swiss international. He’s got a year left on his contract so wouldn’t cost a lot of money. I’d definitely keep an eye on that one.”

The verdict

Sommer is a vastly experienced goalkeeper, having made 262 Bundesliga appearances and racked up 74 caps for Switzerland.

He has earned some prestigious individual honours along the way, featuring in the 2019/20 Bundesliga Team of the Season and winning his country’s Player of the Year award in 2021.

There were rave reviews for the Monchengladbach man at last summer’s European Championship, with journalist Zach Lowy called the ‘amazing’ stopper ‘one of the most underrated goalkeepers of the past decade’. At the finals, he denied Kylian Mbappe from the spot as Switzerland knocked out France on penalties and made a string of saves in the quarter-final against Spain.

Dubravka could well have an almighty fight on his hands to keep his place if Sommer were to arrive on Tyneside.

In other news, this pundit reacts to significant injury news involving a Newcastle target 

Everton eye Chelsea striker Broja

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Armando Broja after a deal for James Tarkowski is wrapped up.

The Lowdown: Tarkowski medical

The Athletic have reported that Tarkowski is having a medical at Goodison Park ahead of a free transfer from Burnley.

He is expected to sign once his contract expires at Turf Moor and become Frank Lampard’s first summer signing, then the Merseyside club can concentrate on other business as the window progresses.

The Latest: Broja eyed

As per The Daily Mail, Lampard’s and Co are now eyeing a move for Broja, after he returned to Chelsea from his loan spell at Southampton last season.

However, they will face competition from West Ham United, Newcastle United, Napoli and Inter Milan, and he could cost in the region of £25m.

The Verdict: Sign

Broja has proven that he can handle the Premier League, with six goals and one assist last season (Transfermarkt) despite being just 20 years of age in a struggling Saints side.

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Hailed as ‘dangerous‘ by Ralph Hasenhuttl, and a player with ‘incredible pace and strength‘ by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the six-foot-three colossus certainly has all of the attributes to thrive in the top flight, and the Toffees can provide him with that platform.

Nonetheless, with the fierce competition for his signature, the Blues would do well to snap him up.

In other news, find out what exciting EFC update this transfer insider has now ‘heard’ here!

Tottenham star Emerson held at gunpoint

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold was one of the first to react on Twitter to news that right-back Emerson Royal was a victim in an attempted armed robbery.

The Lowdown: Emerson involved in incident

The Brazilian first made the switch to the Premier League when he joined the Lilywhites on a five-year contract from Spanish giants Barcelona for a fee believed to be £25.8m. He has since made 41 appearances in all competitions for Antonio Conte’s side during his first season in north London.

News was broken by football.london reporter Rob Guest that in the early hours of Friday morning, the 23 year-old defender had successfully managed to escape an attempted armed robbery.

The article states that there were ’29 shots fired’ between police and the assailant, but the Spurs star has assured people that he is safe and well and will speak out about the incident soon.

The Latest: Gold reacts to Emerson update

In a new post on his personal Twitter account, Gold reacted to the shocking revelation he’d heard involving Emerson and wrote:

“This sounds horrible. Thank goodness Emerson is ok.”

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The Verdict: Relief

It will come as hugely positive news to not just his family and friends, but also to everyone associated with Tottenham to know that the six-cap international is unharmed.

The £22.5m-rated starlet has been a regular feature in Conte’s starting XI this season, making 31 top-flight outings, scoring one goal and providing one assist during that time, via Transfermarkt.

Royal is said to have returned to his home country for a short break following the conclusion of the season, but will obviously now need to be given the appropriate time to recover from the incident before even considering making a return to the football pitch ahead of the start of the new term.

In other news… Fabio Paratici has reportedly opened talks over the possibility of signing a ‘scary’ new player.

West Ham: Insider shares Lingard update amid big development

West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh have shared an update on the club’s pursuit of Man United attacker Jesse Lingard amid a big development on the player’s future.

The Lowdown: Lingard set to leave…

The 29-year-old, with his contract expiring later this month, is now confirmed to be leaving Old Trafford with the Red Devils releasing an official statement on Wednesday.

West Ham have allegedly tried to sign Lingard permanently on two occasions since his phenomenal spell on loan in east London over the second half of 2020/2021.

The Englishman racked up nine goals and four assists in just 16 Premier League starts over his stint under Moyes with the Hammers making ‘initial enquiries’ to take over his services as a free agent (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Moyes weighing move…

According to Claret & Hugh, amid the development of his now confirmed status as a free agent, West Ham’s boss is personally ‘again weighing up a move’ for Lingard.

They add that Moyes may feel this could be ‘third time lucky’ on his previous two attempts with the attacking midfield man set to depart on a Bosman deal.

The Verdict: Stick or twist?

Called ‘sensational’ by Nigel Winterburn during his spell at West Ham, Lingard already knows the club and Moyes very well having enjoyed a successful time at the London Stadium.

On a free deal, it could be a move worth initially exploring, but if the player’s demands or finalising a transfer proves too tricky, we believe the Irons shouldn’t hesitate in moving on to other targets.

Indeed, the last thing supporter will want is another unsuccessful Lingard saga dominating most of this crucial window.

In other news: CNN journalist: West Ham quoted eight-figure fee as GSB eye ‘exciting’ striker move for Moyes, find out more here.

Aston Villa transfer news on Bissouma

Brighton and Hove Albion would be willing to sell reported Aston Villa target Yves Bissouma if ‘a decent offer’ arrived. 

That’s according to journalist Alex Crook, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has described Bissouma as Villa’s ‘top target in defensive midfield’ after a pursuit lasting two transfer windows.

After seeing a £35million bid turned down in January, Evans reported that Villa would ‘consider another push’ for the Malian in the summer.

On Monday, Villa announced that they had secured the signature of Boubacar Kamara following the expiry of his Marseille contract.

Kamara can play as a defensive midfielder, but Steven Gerrard may yet to look to deploy him as a centre-back.

Indeed, Football Insider have previously claimed that the Villa boss is dissatisfied with one of his existing options in Ezri Konsa, while Kamara is a capable defender.

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The latest

Crook urges Villa supporters to ‘keep an eye on’ the 25 year-old Bissouma ahead of the summer transfer window.

He tells GMS that Brighton have potential replacements at their disposal already and so may be open to letting him leave for the right price.

“Yves Bissouma’s one to keep an eye on, because I think Brighton, if they get a decent offer from someone like Aston Villa, they would be willing to sell, because they’ve got Caicedo, who’s come into the team at the end of the season and played quite well,” he said.

“They’ve got Mwepu, who they think can have a decent second season as well.”

The verdict

Kamara and Bissouma are different players. Based on their respective WhoScored profiles, Bissouma is markedly more combative, and while he can dribble effectively, passing isn’t as big a part of his game.

The signing of one, then, doesn’t necessarily preclude a move for the other, especially if it’s on favourable terms for Villa.

With his contract due to expire in 2023, Brighton’s negotiating position is getting weaker.

The £31.5million-rated Bissouma showed Gerrard and his staff just how good he can be in the manager’s first game in charge back in November.

Villa may have run out 2-0 winners that day, but Bissouma picked up the highest SofaScore rating of any player in the Brighton side after he won ten out of 14 ground duels, produced a whopping seven tackles, completed all three dribbles he attempted and misplaced just four passes. It was a midfielder masterclass Gerrard would be proud of himself.

In other news, Gregg Evans heaps praise on one Villa star after what he did vs Man City.

Palace: Rak-Sakyi has big opportunity

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira must place his trust in Eagles youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, amidst his latest injury setback.

What’s the latest

Crystal Palace will be without their French sensation Michael Olise for the remainder of the season, after he picked up a knock that saw him miss the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.

Asked about the injury in the post-match press conference, as per Football.London, Vieira said: “Michael was injured. He had a step back and he’s not going to play again this season.”

Eberechi Eze started in place of Olise, whilst versatile Ghanian international Jeffrey Schlupp took up the right-wing position with just 12 minutes to go – scoring the all-important equaliser, having been on the pitch for just three minutes.

Opportunity Knocks

Having recently been named Crystal Palace’s U23 player of the season, Rak-Sakyi deserves a chance in the absence of Olise.

The 19-year-old has already spoken of his desire to impress Eagles boss Vieira before the end of the season, and with just two games left, he will need to stake his claim sooner, rather than later.

Last week, Vieira revealed that some of the U23s would train with the first team until the end of the season. Of course, Rak-Sakyi, who has been in and around the first team – having made the match-day squad on several occasions – is one of these players, having hit 15 goals and a further five assists in just 24 appearances in Premier League 2.

The 19-year-old, who has been described as a “standout” player by Dan Gibbs, has praised his manager for the number of opportunities he is willing to give to youth players.

As per Winsford Guardian, Rak-Sakyi said: “He [Vieira] is a great manager. I would say that he really trusts the youth. It just shows that if we work hard and we just put in the work in training and games then there are opportunities here.

“I have just got to work hard, keep training hard and hopefully I will get more minutes.”

With Olise out, Rak-Sakyi should be given the opportunity to make his second, and hopefully third, Premier League appearances in what are the final two league games for Palace.

In other news: Imagine him & Guehi: CPFC can save millions with 19 y/o starlet who’s “full of energy”

Leeds: Hay drops Bamford injury update

Phil Hay has dropped a worrying injury update concerning Leeds United centre-forward Patrick Bamford.

What’s the latest?

In comments made on a recent Q&A on The Athletic, the Leeds United correspondent hinted that, after being left out of Jesse Marsch’s 20-man matchday squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, the 28-year-old may not be able to make a return to fitness before the crucial trip to Brentford this weekend.

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Regarding the England international’s absence at Elland Road, Hay said: “No Patrick Bamford in the 20. Will be Brentford for him, if at all.”

Leeds supporters will be sweating

While it is true that both 18th placed Burnley and 16th placed Everton have a game in hand on the Whites, the point gained from Pascal Struijk’s late equaliser against the Seagulls will have undoubtedly given the Elland Road faithful hope that their side could well go on to pull off what would be a rather miraculous escape from the drop.

However, in order to do so, Leeds will need both Aston Villa on Thursday and Newcastle United on Sunday to do them a big favour against the Clarets, while the Whites simply must ensure that they take all three points home from Brentford Community Stadium this weekend – a task which will be made a great deal more difficult is Bamford is once again out.

Indeed, the £18m-rated forward has been a huge miss for Leeds this season, with the 28-year-old’s two goals and two assists over nine Premier League appearances in 2021/22 being pale in comparison to his return of 17 goals and eight assists over 38 top-flight fixtures last season.

As such, it is clear to see just how big of a miss the £74k-per-week striker has been in the Leeds frontline this term, with the Englishman’s availability for what is undoubtedly the Whites’ most important game of the season sure to be something that will have both Marsch and supporters sweating throughout the week – as Bamford remaining sidelined would certainly come as a huge blow to Leeds’ hopes of remaining a Premier League side in 2022/23.

AND in other news: Talks held: Leeds plot bid for £19.8m-rated “phenomenon”, it’s surely bye-bye Raphinha

Spurs: Kilpatrick drops Tielemans update

Dan Kilpatrick has dropped an update on the reported Tottenham Hotspur interest in Youri Tielemans.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Evening Standard journalist confirmed that, following reports of Arsenal’s interest in signing the Leicester City midfielder this summer, Antonio Conte’s side are also monitoring the situation of the 25-year-old ahead of a potential swoop at the end of the current campaign.

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After quote-tweeting Simon Collings stating Arsenal’s interest in a move for the Belgium international, Kilpatrick added: “Also being monitored by Spurs.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering how impressive Tielemans has been for Leicester following his £40m move to the King Power back in 2019, the confirmation that Fabio Paratici is plotting a move for the playmaker this summer is sure to have left the Tottenham Hotspur faithful buzzing.

Indeed, despite the Foxes’ struggles in the league this season, the £49.5m-rated talent has been one of Brendan Rodgers’ few shining lights over his 29 Premier League outings, scoring six goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

The £120k-per-week midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 43.3 passes and winning 4.7 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the 49-time capped international average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Leicester’s second-best performer in the English top flight.

As such, with it being reported that a new central midfielder is one of Conte’s priorities in the summer transfer window, when taking into account Tielemans’ proven Premier League ability coupled with his extremely reasonable £25m asking price, Paratici simply must make a move to beat Arsenal to the signing of the Belgian sensation ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Spurs deal setback as early Arsenal team news emerges, Conte will be fuming

West Ham: Predicted XI for Frankfurt

It’s crunch time for West Ham United on Thursday evening, as David Moyes’ side take on Eintracht Frankfurt in what is set to be an enthralling, Europa League, semi-final, second-leg clash.

The Hammers head into the game on a run of four matches without a win in all competitions – having lost their last three both in Europe and domestically – although all hope is not lost with the current aggregate scoreline at just 2-1 in favour of the Bundesliga side.

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The London Stadium outfit weren’t at their best in that defeat on home soil, although that one-goal deficit ensures it is all still to play for, with history seemingly on their side as they overcame the same opponents at the last four stage of the European Cup Winners’ Cup back in 1976.

Ahead of this pivotal encounter, here’s how the Football FanCast think that Moyes will line his side up…

With the former Manchester United boss announcing a clean bill of health in his pre-match press conference, the only changes to be made are likely to be tactical ones, with the Scotsman having shuffled his pack in the weekend defeat to Arsenal. As such, we are predicting that the 59-year-old will make four alterations from the side that lost at home to the Gunners.

One of those tweaks will see Alphonse Areola return in goal having featured in nine of the ten games in the competition, while ahead of him Craig Dawson returns to the backline after his brief suspension on Sunday, lining up alongside Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma and Aaron Cresswell.

The latter will return to his usual left-back berth, meaning that £38k-per-week dud Ryan Fredericks will drop out – the full-back having been dubbed a “shocker” by journalist Thomas Clark earlier this season.

In midfield, the club’s “man mountain” Tomas Soucek, as he has been described by pundit Micah Richards, replaces club captain Mark Noble alongside talisman Declan Rice, while ahead of them should be the attacking trio of Pablo Fornals, Manuel Lanzini and Jarrod Bowen.

Leading the line will almost certainly be Michail Antonio – with Said Benrahma making way – although as his manager admitted, the Jamaica international is in desperate need of a goal, having scored just twice in all competitions since New Year’s Day.

In other news, Forget Rice: Moyes now set for West Ham disaster on “remarkable” £125k-p/w giant