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Interest is hotting up in Portsmouth centre-back Jack Whatmough ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The News, who claim that Championship side Luton Town are seriously considering a move for the 24-year-old defender in the coming weeks, while Millwall are also credited with an interest.

The report goes on to claim that Danny Cowley desperately wants to keep hold of the former England U19 international this summer and has prioritised his re-signing over every other Portsmouth player – with the centre-back’s current contract at Fratton Park due to expire at the end of June.

Big mistake

It is unsurprising to learn how eager the Pompey boss is to retain the services of Whatmough beyond the summer, as the defender proved a crucial part of the club’s campaign this season.

Over the £113k-rated man’s 34 League One appearances, he helped his side to keep 11 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and 3.8 clearances per game, in addition to chipping in with two goals and providing one assist, culminating in a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92 – ranking him as Portsmouth’s joint seventh-best performer in the third tier.

As such, losing a player of the £3.1k-per-week 24-year-old’s ability would undoubtedly come as a huge blow for Cowley, as the 42-year-old looks to build a squad capable of going one further than his side managed this time around and secure a play-off, or even an automatic, spot next season.

So, the former Huddersfield Town gaffer should be doing all he can to convince Whatmough – who has been at Portsmouth since he was 13 years of age – to remain at Fratton Park this summer, or else he risks making what could be the worst mistake of his Pompey career to date in letting one of the club’s most prized possessions leave for nothing.

In other news: Catlin must sanction Pompey swoop for “rampaging” £7.5-p/w gem who Cowley would love – opinion

West Bromwich Albion have sealed their first signing of the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That is according to their manager Steve Bruce, who has claimed that a deal to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby is “done.”

After Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Coventry City Bruce revealed all when asked about Molumby’s future. He said: “Molumby’s done.

“Molumby was done weeks ago. The deal was kicked in weeks ago, so he’s our player now.

“He’s a young player who’s got a lot to learn still, but he wants to win; he’s got a bit of an attitude with him, which I like, so, yeah he’ll be here next year.”

Fans will be delighted

The capture of Molumby is promising for a West Brom side who will be eager to demonstrate their ambition to the Baggies faithful, with their Championship play-off hopes gone.

The 22-year-old, who was initially on loan from Brighton, has failed to assert himself as a Baggies regular this season, starting just 38% of their 44 games in the Championship.

Though he will surely start the final two games of the campaign with Alex Mowatt out for the season.

His statistics also demonstrate why supporters will be excited to see him sign on the dotted line, with the 22-year-old remaining composed in possession, completing 84.5% of his passes and producing 1.1 tackles per match.

Now that he has signed permanently, he will be looking to leave a lasting impression on Bruce who acknowledges that the Republic of Ireland international “has a lot to learn.”

The fact that Potter has allowed the youngster to leave on a permanent deal serves as a shock, as he spoke well of him in an interview with The Argus as recent as 2020: “Jayson is a good guy, he is ambitious and he wants to play which is a good quality to have and we enjoy working with him.”

After previous Championship loan spells with Millwall and Preston North End, Molumby boasts exceptional amounts of experience in the league, considering the fact that he is not even 23-years-old yet.

His experience can benefit the Baggies, whilst Molumby himself will mutually benefit through a platform that will aid his development.

Both parties will have big ambitions of playing Premier League football in the near future, and the fact that West Brom have made the deal permanent shows the potential that they see within the No.14 midfielder.

In other news: Bruce could now save WBA millions with £9m-rated “monster”, he’ll be key next season – opinion

Leicester City are having second thoughts over a summer move for Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard.

That’s according to a report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a source close to the Foxes that the club’s interest has diminished due to Kelechi Iheanacho’s recent uprise in form.

Reports last month suggested that Leicester were closing in on a £15m deal for the Hoops star with a long-ter view to replace Jamie Vardy, but it seems as if that may not materialise after all.

That has left West Ham in pole position to sign the 23-year-old over the coming months, with the Hammers recently making progress regarding a deal for Edouard.

Transfer Tavern take

With one less side seemingly out of the race for Edouard, we feel as if that could spell trouble for the Hoops.

In our opinion, Celtic need as many clubs as possible to be in for the striker this summer to get the highest fee possible – it’s a case supply and demand.

Edouard has made it clear he wants to quit Parkhead regardless of who comes in to replace Neil Lennon and he’ll have just 12 months on his deal when the summer window opens, and if there are only a few clubs keen, those sides could be in pole position to land the player in a cut-price deal without a bidding war.

It looks set to be a busy few months regarding the forward, and the fee Celtic recieve for Edouard could be vital when it comes to funding incomings ahead of the 2021/22 season.

In other news: Leeds tipped to reignite interest in 6ft 1 Celtic starlet, find out more here. 

The Celtic departure lounge is beginning to become a busy social hub right now.

Kristoffer Ajer is on the verge of heading to England, while Odsonne Edouard could still move towards the exit door.

What’s the word?

The Hoops are in danger of losing a number of players this summer, with Callum McGregor also appealed by the opportunity of moving south of the border.

Another player linked with a move to the Premier League is Ryan Christie. The Scotland international is fielding interest from Crystal Palace, but fresh reports dictate that they’re not the only club vying for his signature.

According to The Scottish Sun, Christie is set to receive a ‘life-changing’ offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal. His contract expires in January and he is essentially free to leave the Hoops without much money being involved.

Time to go

After the arrival of Liel Abada this week and the potential signing of Kristijan Lovric, this feels like the ideal time for Celtic to part company with Christie.

The attacking midfielder has been a wonderful servant to the club, scoring 40 goals and registering 41 assists in 142 outings. He was on fire in 2019/20, finding the net on 20 occasions.

However, much like Celtic in general, he endured a torrid 2020/21 campaign. Christie only beat the goalkeeper seven times last season and was relentlessly hounded by a number of supporters.

It was easy to see why. Although he was fielded out of position on the wing, the Scotland international had a nasty habit of attempting shots on goal from long-range instead of taking the smarter option of finding a closer teammate.

Talking about his form last season, Frank McAvennie told Football Insider: “He’s stopped chasing the ball, he looked so eager at the start of his career. Now he doesn’t look bothered.

“He’s lost his hunger, his appetite. That said, he was playing out of position last season.

“He became a bit of a laughing stock, he was just picking the ball up and shooting but he deserved some slack.”

With that in mind, it would be a surprise if the £12,000-per-week earner had any role to play under new manager Ange Postecoglou.

With a bid from Al-Hilal in the pipeline, Christie must use it as his excuse to finally leave Glasgow behind. Last season showed us that it’s time for Celtic to sever relations with the 26-year-old.

AND in other news, Postecoglou can seal his best Celtic signing yet in “exciting” 48-goal animal…

Manchester United are set to make a formal offer for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane over the coming days.

What’s the story?

According to well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils are closing in on the highly-rated 28-year-old, who is determined to leave the Bernabeu in search of a new challenge.

He tweeted: “Official bid from Man Utd for Raphaël Varane to be submitted in the next few days – Utd board ‘confident’, deal getting closer. Varane has an almost ready agreement on personal terms – he’s NOT extending with Real, he wants a new challenge. No other clubs in the race.”

Fans will be buzzing

News that the United hierarchy are set to make an imminent offer for Varane will surely leave the club’s supporters absolutely buzzing.

Signing a top-class partner for club captain Harry Maguire at the heart of defence is thought to be a top priority for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this summer, and the Old Trafford outfit will do just that if they can get this deal over the line.

Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly and Axel Tuanzebe have failed to showcase their long-term credentials alongside Maguire over the last couple of years, meaning a new central defender is required ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Varane was first linked with a move to United 10 years ago, but chose Madrid instead and has gone on to establish himself as one of the world’s best players in his position.

Over the last decade, the France international has secured four Champions League crowns, three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and four FIFA Club World Cups in 360 appearances for the Spanish giants.

However, he’s reportedly ready for a new challenge in his career, and after entering the final year of his current contract, Madrid are prepared to sell him rather than lose one of their prized assets on a free transfer in 12 months’ time.

After securing the signature of former Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho following a lengthy pursuit, the addition of Varane would elevate United to even greater heights and pile the pressure on Solskjer to finally deliver some silverware next term.

And, in other news…Reliable journo drops Man Utd blow that will leave Ole gutted 

Everton have been tipped to make a stunning summer swoop for Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale.

El Chiringuito TV report that Carlo Ancelotti wants a reunion with Bale at Goodison Park, having worked with him at the Santiago Bernabeu – Bale has spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, having fallen out of favour with Zinedine Zidane after Ancelotti’s exit.

How has Bale performed at Spurs?

A hat-trick against relegated Sheffield United at the weekend took the Welshman to nine Premier League goals for the season.

That’s more than any Everton player excluding Dominic Calvert-Lewin (15).

In total, Bale has scored 14 goals in all competitions, posting an impressive minutes per goal record of 105 (via Transfermarkt).

Bale, who will turn 32 in July, has just over a year left on his Real Madrid contract and is valued at £18million by Transfermarkt because of this.

He said during the March international break that his plan was to return to the Spanish capital at the end of the season, so it a long-term deal to stay in north London appears unlikely.

Ancelotti has already reunited with James Rodriguez and Allan on Merseyside – could he do the same with Bale?

Twitter fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed the rumour, and here’s how fans reacted.

These Everton fans urge club not to pursue Bale

“We going for the oldest team in the league ?”

Credit: @Stu17666455

“Does he want to sign Father Ted’s over 75’s too”

Credit: @efcshaz1878

“Hell we are becoming a retirement home”

Credit: @toddlonsdale

“Big no thanks”

Credit: @rowleydan

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

Credit: @alandean1878

“Is he really worth it? No”

Credit: @matthew_nestor

“At this rate we’ll be linked with Inzaghi, Kaka and Dida”

Credit: @mannie_efcIn other news, this ex-Everton star revealed what Carlo Ancelotti told him before he left.

After a stunning 2020/21 campaign at Ibrox, Steven Gerrard will be looking to improve his squad while also keeping together the core group of players that served him so well last time out, that’s according to former Rangers defender Michael Ball.

There were worries that both Borna Barisic and Glen Kamara could flourish at the Euros this summer and thus attract interest from clubs in the Premier League, however, it is just the latter who has impressed, with Barisic still injured.

Kamara has been deployed in a slightly more defensive and deep role for Finland, which is understandable considering how their squad compares to others in the tournament, but that has not stopped newly promoted Watford reportedly opening talks over potentially signing the midfielder.

Gerrard will be hoping to put his trust in the same group of players who won the SPFL title, amassing over 100 points, while adding a couple of quality players to keep competition strong, so it wouldn’t make sense to sell their top players, that’s according to Ball, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“If any of them have a good Euros then they won’t sell them on the cheap but I don’t think Steven will be happy if any of these players move on because he will want to support them for what they achieved last year, as well as bringing in one or two players to keep that competition strong.

“Whether that’s realistic or not with the board as he will probably demand more money, is another question but fingers crossed, they do stay and they can win the title back to back.”

Kamara was a standout player in the middle of the park for Rangers last term, often popping up in both boxes in crucial moments that helped Rangers finally get their hands back on the Scottish league title.

It would be a massive blow to lose such an influential member of the squad, as he can operate in several positions through the middle of the pitch with his ability to glide past players and pick out quick one-twos.

Manchester City extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven games as they beat Chelsea 1-0 away from home on Saturday.

The Cityzens have now kept five clean sheets in six Premier League matches this season, with the only goal they have conceded in the campaign coming on the opening day against Tottenham.

Gabriel Jesus’ deflected shot won Pep Guardiola’s side the match against Chelsea, with the Brazilian turning in the box and seeing his effort swerve off a Blues body and into the bottom corner past a helpless Edouard Mendy.

Forget Jesus, though, as another player ran the show for City at Stamford Bridge – Spanish international midfielder Rodri.

City ended the match with 59% possession of the ball away at one of their title challengers and Rodri’s sublime midfield performance played a large role in their dominance throughout the match.

Defensively, the midfield beast was immense. Per SofaScore, he won 71% of his duels, winning four of his six on the ground and his one aerial battle, whilst also making three tackles, two clearances and one interception to stop Chelsea attacks.

On the ball, his quality allowed City to dictate the flow of the match. Per SofaScore, he had 91 touches of the ball and completed a whopping 95% (75/79) of his passes. He also completed five of his six long pass attempts and only gave possession of the ball away five times throughout the 90 minutes, highlighting how secure he was with the ball at his feet.

The midfield beast was able to run the show for City against Chelsea. The likes of Jorginho, Kovacic and Kante were unable to get the better of him on a regular basis at either end of the pitch and that allowed City to control the game and win the midfield battle, which was the foundation for the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Jesus, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden to then work their magic in the final third.

Therefore, Guardiola will have been left delighted by Rodri’s performance, particularly after calling upon the Spaniard following his spell out on the sidelines. It is now down to him to maintain that level of display in the holding midfield role to ensure that he keeps his place in the side for the rest of the season.

Ex-Everton star Michael Ball was disappointed with the club’s transfer window despite their fine start to the season.

The Toffees have been impressive under the management of Rafael Benitez thus far in 2021/22.

They have taken 13 points from their opening six games, only being beaten by Aston Villa, and they are subsequently sitting fifth in the Premier League table.

However, Everton kept their powder largely dry when it came to spending money in the summer, instead relying on free transfers to strengthen the squad.

Demarai Gray was the only player who came into the club for a small fee, with the other signings Andy Lonergan, Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic and Salomon Rondon all coming in on frees.

As a result, Ball does not think that the club have enough quality and depth in their squad, as they look to enjoy a successful first Premier League season under Benitez’s management.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “The transfer window has proved where we are right now. The quality and depth in the squad is just not there.

“There’s players there that have been knocking on the door, wanting opportunities and they’ve let themselves and the manager down, and they’ve let the fans down numerous times.”

Manchester City fans are far from happy with comments from Kevin de Bruyne following Belgium’s exit from Euro 2020 on Friday.

Belgium had been one of the pre-tournament favourites to win the competition, but they exited at the quarter-final stage after a 2-1 defeat to Italy. De Bruyne picked up an injury in the previous round against Portugal, along with Eden Hazard, and Roberto Martinez said both would be unavailable for the Italy clash (via Football Italia).

However, while Hazard was indeed not included in the squad, De Bruyne started and played the whole 90 minutes. After the match, the midfielder was asked how he managed to play. He responded by saying it was a miracle he was able to play, and that he had torn his ligaments (via 90min.com).

The comments was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it is fair to say they attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the De Bruyne comments below

“you what…”

Credit: @mikepeters123

“Oh great”

Credit: @Arton9320

“What about a responsibility to the people who pay his exorbitant salary?”

Credit: @Cafelover259

“Whaaaatttt”

Credit: @PepisaBlue

“Man City should be upset they’ve allowed him to play with a torn ligament but we’re spineless fc..”

Credit: @mcfc1O

“he shouldn’t have played, that was reckless”

Credit: @M_Muhairi93

In other news, Man City fans were gutted at this man’s exit.