Man Utd Plot Bid For "Complete" £43m Sensation

Manchester United appear to be looking to strengthen their options at right-back this summer, following an update on the club's reported interest in Monaco star, Vanderson.

What's the latest on Vanderson to Man United?

According to Brazilian outlet, Zero Hora, the Red Devils are said to have proposed a potential offer to the Ligue 1 outfit for the signing of the 21-year-old, albeit with that unofficial bid having seemingly fallen short of the selling club's €50m (£43m) asking price.

As the piece adds, however, there is still hope for United that a deal can be agreed for the former Gremio ace, with it said that the promising full-back is 'likely' to seal an exit from Stade Louis II in the coming weeks, with a move to Old Trafford seemingly 'possible'.

The report does also go on to note that Erik ten Hag and co will face competition for the defender's signature, however, with a host of Premier League clubs also keeping tabs on his progress.

Who is Vanderson?

The 5 foot 8 Brazilian could well represent a long-term solution for Ten Hag on the right side of the defence, with the youngster having previously been hailed as a "complete full-back" by talent scout Jacek Kulig as a marker of his exciting potential.

With United having only recently handed fellow right-back Diogo Dalot a new long-term deal until 2028, it would appear that the signing of Vanderson would then spell bad news for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, despite the Englishman's resurgence of late.

Man United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka

The latter man had previously looked certain to move on heading into the January transfer window after making just a solitary, four-minute cameo appearance prior to the World Cup break, although the 25-year-old has since established himself as a regular fixture in the side, having even started in the FA Cup final clash last weekend.

Even so, however, The Athletic revealed back in April that Ten Hag was keen to find a more 'attacking' option in that right-back role, with there a potential for Wan-Bissaka to be moved on if a suitable target could be found.

Vanderson, therefore, could well be the man to push the former Crystal Palace ace out the door, having offered a far greater attacking threat of late after scoring once and registering four assists in 31 league appearances this season as well as creating six big chances, while Wan-Bissaka failed to score or register an assist, while also creating just one big chance in 19 league outings.

Interestingly, the Monaco man could also prove more effective in a defensive sense after averaging an impressive 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in 2022/23, with a greater record than the current United man, who averaged just 2.1 and 1.2 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Having made an "exceptional adaptation" to life in France over the last 18 months or so since his arrival from his homeland – according to former boss Philippe Clement – the hope will be that Vanderson can slot in just as comfortably if he is to make the move to the Theatre of Dreams this summer.

If that deal is to come to fruition, Wan-Bissaka will certainly be fearing for his place at the club…

Newcastle United Set Sights On "Flamboyant" £167k-p/w Winger

Newcastle United are plotting a summer swoop to bring Barcelona forward Ferran Torres back to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Ferran Torres leaving Barcelona?

The Blaugrana winger first arrived at Camp Nou in January 2022 from Manchester City and has made a total of 70 appearances since, and despite still having another four years to run on his contract, his future is extremely uncertain heading into the upcoming window.

The La Liga giants are reportedly in the midst of a Financial Fair Play crisis and could therefore be forced to sell some of their most prized assets this summer in order to help try and balance their books, the 23-year-old being one of those, and it appears that PIF and Eddie Howe have been alerted to his potential availability.

Football Transfers recently claimed that the Magpies have held “internal discussions” about the Sky Blues’ former star who is believed to fit the profile of player that the boss is looking for with his previous experience in the top-flight, and that has now been backed up even further.

Are Newcastle signing Torres?

According to The Daily Mail, Torres has fallen "under the gaze" of Newcastle who have got their "eye" on a potential deal for Barcelona's forward ahead of the 2023/24 term. Xavi's attacker may be getting "shunned" so that his club can receive some much-needed cash, and with Howe "keen" to add fresh faces to his ranks in the final third, he could be on his way to St. James' Park.

Barcelona forward Ferran Torres.

If Football Transfers’ earlier report is true about Howe personally wanting Torres to be someone who he signs then you'd expect PIF could back their manager in the summer, so the hierarchy may consider testing the waters with Barcelona to see if they could be tempted.

The World Cup participant, who is sponsored by Adidas, has posted ten goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) across all competitions this season and has been hailed a “flamboyant” left-winger for his creativity in the opposition’s area by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Torres, who pockets £167k-per-week in his homeland, also knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having won two trophies during his time with Pep Guardiola’s side, including the Premier League title, so he would be able to match and even add to the winning mentality of the current squad already in the northeast.

Burnley Could Find Their New Cullen In Swoop For £17.2m Ace

Vincent Kompany led Burnley to glory in the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign as the Belgian head coach secured the league title in style.

The Clarets amassed a whopping 101 points in the second tier to ensure their promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and the manager's work in the transfer market last summer played a significant role in their success.

Anass Zaroury, Manuel Benson, Arijanet Muric, Josh Cullen, and Ian Maatsen are just a few of the impressive gems the head coach unearthed to become Burnley stars this season.

Kompany arrived at Turf Moor after spending two years in his home country managing Anderlecht and swooped for Cullen from his former club as one of his first signings.

No player played more matches (78) for Kompany at the Belgian club than the Irish midfielder and the ex-Manchester City defender brought him in to be a consistent presence in the middle of the park for the Clarets.

Cullen averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 – ranking sixth in the squad – across 43 Championship matches and made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game to go along with his pass completion rate of 88%.

The Burnley boss could now repeat the masterclass he played with the 27-year-old by completing a swoop for another one of his former Anderlecht stars – Albert Sambi Lokonga.

Who is Albert Sambi Lokonga?

He is a 23-year-old central midfielder who is currently on loan at Crystal Palace in the Premier League from fellow top-flight side Arsenal.

Crystal Palace players James Tomkins and Albert Sambi Lokonga.

Football Insider recently reported that the Clarets are interested in snapping the Belgium international up on a temporary basis next term and have made him one of their top targets following their promotion from the second tier.

Lokonga made 39 appearances under Kompany's management before his switch to The Emirates and enjoyed a terrific season with him in 2020/21.

The maestro averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.26 across 33 appearances in the Pro League and made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per match. He also completed 86% of his attempted passes and won 62% of his duels in the middle of the park, which shows that the Gunners talent is a reliable passer who can also provide a physical presence in midfield – like Cullen.

That average performance level would place him only behind Josh Brownhill (7.27) in the current Burnley squad, proving that the £50k-per-week ace, who talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed as "tireless", has the potential to be a standout performer for Kompany.

Lokonga, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 in the Premier League for Arsenal in 2021/22, has proven that he can thrive in the Belgian head coach's tactical set-up already and that could allow him to hit the ground running in the same way that Cullen did.

Therefore, the Clarets boss could repeat the masterclass he played with the Irishman by swooping for the £17.2m battler this summer.

Rangers must land Cameron Humphreys

Rangers ended their 2021/22 campaign on a high as they won the Scottish Cup final to bring one trophy back to Ibrox.

The Gers missed out on silverware in the Premiership and the Europa League as they finished runners-up in both competitions.

Gio van Bronckhorst will now have his first summer transfer window in charge to improve his team in order to go again next term with the hope of winning more than one trophy.

One position in which he is looking to strengthen is at centre-back as the club have been linked with a move for Cameron Humphreys.

The defender is set to leave Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem at the end of his contract this summer and Rangers are reportedly interested in signing him, alongside a number of teams from England.

Van Bronckhorst has a difficult situation to manage at centre-back as Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson are out of contract and Calvin Bassey has been touted with an Ibrox exit.

Imagine him & John Souttar

However, Souttar will be arriving from Hearts ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and he can form a dream partnership with Humphreys at the back.

The Scotland international is a proven, quality, Premiership performer who can slot straight into the team and lead the backline next term. In the top-flight this season, the 25-year-old averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.30 in 27 appearances.

He won a whopping 71% of his duels and made 3.9 clearances per game as he made himself a rock at the back for Hearts. Souttar has shown that he can deliver on a consistent basis and this means that he would be the perfect partner for a young player coming in from abroad – Humphreys.

The 23-year-old defender won 71% of his aerial battles and 62% of his duels in total in the top-flight of Belgian football in the season just gone, showing that he can be physically dominant and not be bullied by the opposition. He also made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 2.9 clearances per game as he showcased some strong defensive instincts.

Humphreys is untested in the Premiership, though, and this is why pairing him with a proven quantity – Souttar – can make for the perfect blend at the heart of van Bronckhorst’s defence.

Former Man City coach Simon Davies once claimed that the gem can become a “real leader” and this highlights the potential he has from a mental standpoint. He can grow into a key figure on and off the pitch with his leadership skills, which can also be aided by Souttar’s presence – who has captained Hearts in the past.

It is now down to Ross Wilson to convince the Englishman to turn down interest from his home country to make the switch to Glasgow as it would be a dream deal for the club to solve their centre-back issues.

AND in other news, GvB can find Kemar Roofe 2.0 in Rangers swoop for “clinical” gem who “rarely misses”…

Liverpool plot bid for Barcelona’s Gavi

Liverpool have been linked with a number of players already despite the transfer window not opening for another week, and now an update on a potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are continuing to try to tempt Barcelona midfielder Gavi to make a move to the Premier League this summer.

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As per the report, it suggests that the youngster is Liverpool’s number one target and are plotting a bid of €50m (£42.5m) to trigger his termination clause and Liverpool are waiting for answers which Gavi and his representatives will give in the coming days.

Bellingham 2.0

Following reported interest in Aurelien Tchouameni, Ibrahim Sangare and Jude Bellingham already, it is clear that Jurgen Klopp has identified the midfield as the key area of improvement this summer and if Liverpool could secure a £42.5m deal for Gavi it would be a major coup that could save FSG millions.

Bellingham would reportedly cost the Kopites £101m to sign him from Borussia Dortmund, which is double what the report suggests they would need to pay for Gavi who has shown in his performances for Barcelona this season that he can compete with the Englishman for the midfield spot at Anfield.

The 17-year-old gem who was hailed “spectacular” by Xavi has scored two goals and contributed five assists, creating eight big chances, makes 1.1 tackles on average per game and has been successful in the majority of his dribbles (62%) in 34 appearances for the La Liga giants this season.

Xavi also claimed that the youngster has “no ceiling” after scoring and assisting against Elche at Camp Nou:

“More than anything his work is spectacular. We’re happy to have him and I don’t want to compare him to anyone. There’s no ceiling for him.”

Gavi is only a year younger than Bellingham, but is on a similar trajectory to becoming a wonderkid just like the Dortmund star and if Liverpool can swoop for the midfielder before he has another phenomenal season in La Liga which will inevitably make his transfer fee skyrockets it would be a huge signing for the club.

A quick look at FB Ref tells you that Gavi is similar to the Dortmund star too, with the England international ranking as the third most comparable player to the Spanish maestro.

On that evidence, the teenager has the world at his feet.

AND in other news: Forget Tchouameni: FSG can get Liverpool rocking by signing “dangerous” £21m brute

Celtic: Lennon had a nightmare on Gouiri

The glittering early reign of Ange Postecoglou at Celtic has seen the 56-year-old showcase his talent for identifying quality and affordable additions in the transfer market, with the wave of incomings having proven vital in the club’s Premiership triumph.

The same cannot be said of his predecessor Neil Lennon, the Northern Irishman having overseen a dismal end to his second stint in charge at Parkhead, notably making some bizarre signings and missing out on some potentially crucial acquisitions.

One such missed opportunity is that of Amine Gouiri, the 22-year-old having been linked with a move to Glasgow in the summer of 2020 as the club eyed another French success story after bringing in Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard in previous years.

The young forward had previously gained wider attention after his stunning displays at the European Under-17 Championship in 2017 in which he netted seven goals, making his senior club debut just a few months later.

Despite catching the eye of the Glasgow giants in 2020, the deal ultimately fell through as reports at the time suggested that the Hoops were unwilling to fork out the required fee to prise him from Lyon, with doubts over spending that amount on a player who at the time had made just eight Ligue 1 appearances.

As it proved, the “wonderkid” – as he has been described by Opta – made the move to Nice later that summer in a €7m (£5.9m) deal, with that figure now looking like a total bargain, such has been his form in the past two seasons.

The £13k-per-week gem has chipped in with 45 goal contributions in just 83 appearances for his current club and has even been compared to Karim Benzema. His tally includes ten goals and eight assists in Ligue 1 so far this term, while also helping Christophe Galtier’s side to reach the French Cup final, where they were defeated by Nantes.

Such has been his meteoric rise, Gouiri is now valued at a staggering £45m by Transfermarkt, almost eight times more than what Lennon and co could have paid for him less than two years ago.

To rub further salt in the wounds, Celtic did end up splashing the cash on a striker that summer, eventually forking out a reported £4.5m on Albian Ajeti, just a fraction less than what they could have paid for the young Frenchman.

As those at Celtic Park are fully aware, the Swiss marksman has failed to make the grade thus far, with a paltry nine goals in 48 appearances. His valuation now stands at just £2.25m, illustrating just how poorly the club spent their transfer budget in the summer of 2020.

On recent form, it looks as if Gouiri will continue to haunt the Hoops over their misjudgment two years ago.

In other news, Celtic can unearth a new Giakoumakis after submitting bid for “very strong” £2.5m gem

Rangers can save millions with Adam Devine

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst was not shy of handing out opportunities to academy players as his side ended the Premiership campaign with a 3-1 win at the weekend.

Adam Devine, Charlie McCann, Leon King, Tony Weston, Ross McCausland and Cole McKinnon were all given minutes on the pitch to showcase their quality at first-team level.

Lowry caught the eye with a goal and an assist from midfield but he was not the only youngster who impressed on the day as Devine put in an exciting showing at the back.

FFC recently published an article suggesting that the right-back may be the next Nathan Patterson who can play a back-up role to James Tavernier and be sold for a profit in the future, but this matured performance against Hearts suggests that he could have a brighter future at Rangers.

Instead of being viewed as a player who can be a squad player and moved on in a few years to rake in a few million, he could be seen as the long-term replacement for the captain.

This is why van Bronckhorst must finally unleash the 19-year-old on a regular basis at the start of the 2022/23 campaign to help him ease into the role.

Journalist Craig Vickers was impressed by his display against Hearts as he praised him after the match, Tweeting: “Devine isn’t as clean technically as Patterson and doesn’t have his self-belief in possession, but he looks like another powerful runner in that position.”

Reporter Joshua Barrie replied to this by Tweeting: “Thought Devine took his chance over this past week well. Next season’s understudy?”

These comments suggest that he did enough to pass the eye test and the statistics back up that he enjoyed a great afternoon in the Scottish top-flight.

As per SofaScore, he completed 84% of his passes and 100% of his attempted dribbles in the game as he proved that he is comfortable on the ball and likes to get forward. He also made a whopping six clearances to go along with one interception and two tackles as he got stuck in defensively and worked hard for the team throughout the 90 minutes.

The fact that he played the entire match also indicates that van Bronckhorst trusts him to perform throughout an entire first-team match, which bodes well heading into next season. The Dutch head coach must now continue to give him chances as he moulds him into being Tavernier’s successor in the years to come.

AND in other news, Wilson plotting Rangers bid for “top notch” 16 G/A “master”, GVB needs him badly…

West Ham: Moyes eyeing Lewis-Potter as exit now expected

West Ham United manager David Moyes is personally eyeing a Premier League move for Hull City sensation Keane Lewis-Potter with a Rush Green exit now expected, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye new forward…

The Hammers and Moyes are reportedly eager to bolster their forward options in the summer window with both an out-and-out striker and attacking midfielder on the cards.

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West Ham are allegedly still interested in Man United playmaker Jesse Lingard and are keeping tabs on both Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Lewis-Potter, who has been standing out as a really promising talent in the Championship this season, is also reportedly of interest to Moyes with a Rush Green exit now ‘expected’.

The Latest: Moyes looks at Lewis-Potter…

As per The Guardian, West Ham’s boss has ‘looked at’ signing the 21-year-old as he eyes a move to the top tier.

This comes as winger Andriy Yarmolenko is ‘expected to leave’ upon the expiry of his contract this summer, even despite the Ukraine international’s recent heroics against Sevilla and Aston Villa.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports suggest Hull could demand around £20 million, but taking into account his form and real potential, Lewis-Potter could be worth the investment.

The Englishman has also been attracting interest from north London rivals Spurs having racked up 12 goals and four assists over a staggering 46 second tier appearances.

Still very young, Lewis-Potter is a mainstay at the MKM Stadium with former boss Grant McCann calling him a ‘special’ player.

Having become such an important player for Hull at just 21, the sky appears to be the limit, and £20m could look like chump change in a few seasons time.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are now eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

Aston Villa can save millions with Cameron Archer

Steven Gerrard has had a mixed start to Premier League life at Aston Villa since arriving from Rangers in mid-November.

While an encouraging start was more than welcome by the incoming manager, it tailed off and the side suffered throughout Christmas and New Year as Gerrard realised that this Premier League management business would be trickier than anticipated.

The January transfer window proved to be a success, bringing in Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne as he began to stamp his authority on the team.

One area that urgently needs strengthening, however, is the centre forward position. Gerrard does have Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings ready and available, but it is a player who is currently out on loan that could be key in the future.

Cameron Archer has huge potential and was sent out on loan to Preston North End in January, where he has netted seven goals in 19 appearances and is already living up to his promise.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe has heaped the praise on the youngster since he joined, labelling him “bullish” and someone who has “an abundance of talent” and he isn’t wrong.

Archer has been involved for Villa in the Premier League and EFL Cup this season, but it’s his heroics at his adopted side that had led many to sing his praises.

The way it’s going, Archer could well make the club a fortune in the near future, although Gerrard might just want to hang onto the striker for the time being.

Pre-season will be an important time for the 20-year-old, and it could well be his big opportunity to tell the former England captain and his staff that he deserves a spot in the first-team squad for the whole campaign.

Whatever happens, Villa has a remarkable talent in their midst and must keep hold of him for the time being.

AND in other news, “Gerrard really keen..“: Preece drops exciting Villa transfer claim, Lange must pounce

Spurs: Paratici makes contact with Dybala

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Paulo Dybala regarding a switch to north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to James Olley, with the ESPN journalist revealing on Twitter that Fabio Paratici has contacted the Juventus forward concerning a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium upon the expiry of his current deal at the Allianz Stadium at the end of the season.

However, the journalist added that Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United – along with unnamed clubs from Italy and Spain – have also been in talks with the 28-year-old, who is thought to be considering his options before deciding where his future lies.

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In his tweet, Olley said: “Arsenal, Tottenham, Man Utd & Newcastle have made contact with Paulo Dybala’s representatives over a summer move. Nothing at an advanced stage, just exploring the idea – player assessing his options (also interest from clubs in Italy and Spain).”

Conte would love him

Considering just how impressive Dybala has been for Juventus this season, and with the Argentina international will be available on a free transfer, it is easy to see why Conte would be interested in a deal for the attacker this summer.

Indeed, over his 25 Serie A appearances this term, the £36m-rated sensation has been one of Massimiliano Allegri’s standout performers, scoring nine goals, registering five assists and creating 10 big chances for his team-mates, along with averaging 3.7 shots and 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £220k-per-week forward average a breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.48, not only ranking him as the Bianconeri’s best player in the Italian top flight but also as the third-best in the entire league.

As such, it is clear to see that Dybala would make a fantastic addition to the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in the Tottenham attack. Therefore, we believe that Paratici must do all he can to land the 28-year-old as Spurs’ first summer signing ahead of the likes of Arsenal, Newcastle and Man United, with the Argentine sensation undoubtedly being a signing that Conte would love.

AND in other news: “Interested..”: Sky Sports journalist drops transfer update, Spurs supporters will love it

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