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Nottingham Forest may have a future star in their academy ranks in the form of Northern Ireland prospect, Dale Taylor.

The 18-year-old has already made Steve Cooper’s bench in the Championship game that saw Forest beat Swansea City 5-1, but has played the majority of his football with the U18s, as well as the U23s in Premier League 2.

Despite losing to Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup Final, the 18-year-old was able to paint himself in a positive light, with Nottinghamshire Post giving him a rating of 7.5 in the 3-1 loss, stating: “Has bags of potential and embraced playing on the big stage. Didn’t go his, or Forest’s, way on this occasion – but the future is bright. Rating: 7.5/10”

As per the same source, Taylor was also listed as one of three players who give reason for optimism, with this list compiling players “that could be involved in the first-team in the near future.” His performance had the media outlet waxing lyrical, with Matt Lee of Nottinghamshire Live saying this:

“His physicality made him difficult to mark and it could be argued that he is – slightly – similar to the attacking profile of Kienan Davis. With strength, pace and the occasional display of skill to his disposal, Taylor spreads fear through defenders’ minds as he bears towards goal.

“He has been involved in Steve Cooper’s first-team squad in recent weeks and has already made his senior Northern Ireland debut. If you had to put money on one of these players having a lasting role at Forest, Taylor would be the front-runner.”

Despite not yet making a first-team appearance for Cooper’s Tricky Trees, Taylor has already earned his first cap for Northern Ireland, playing in the same team as Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas and Paddy McNair against Lithuania.

With “one to look out for”, as put by The Athletic’s Paul Taylor on Twitter.

In other news: Nottingham Forest plotting bid for superb 25-goal “engine”, he could replace Garner 

Nottingham Forest could be a destination for Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo this summer after the 19-year-old struggled to make an impact whilst on loan at Rangers this season.

That’s according to the Manchester Evening News, who suggest that alongside James Garner, Forest could swoop for the Ivorian winger as well as Facundo Pellistri should they secure promotion to the Premier League.

Steve Cooper’s side are one win away from a first top flight campaign since 1999 with Huddersfield Town their opponent at Wembley next Sunday for the Championship play-off final.

The East Midlands outfit has been the ideal club for Garner to develop at having joined on loan in January 2021 before rejoining for the 2021/22 campaign last summer.

For the Reds, the 20-year-old midfielder has scored eight goals and registered ten assists in 67 appearances which should provide Diallo with hope that he too could get his career in England up and running.

Forest must sign Diallo

Having been bought for £19m plus £18.2m in add ons by Manchester United, Diallo is a serious talent with hopes that he can one day become one of Europe’s biggest stars.

The former Atalanta prospect has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford since arriving in England last January, making just nine first-team appearances for the Red Devils prior to making the move to Glasgow in January.

However, in just five appearances for United’s U23s, the 19-year-old has scored six goals and assisted four, suggesting that he is certainly ready for regular first-team football at a high level.

Furthermore, former United player Dan James labelled Diallo as “unbelievable” whilst Atalanta captain Papu Gomez claimed that the winger “plays like Messi.”

Granted, Forest will only be an attractive proposition for the Ivorian if they are of Premier League status. Should they beat Huddersfield next weekend, this summer will have to be busy in preparation for the top flight.

In terms of current forward options, loanee Keinan Davis’ is not for sale according to Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard whilst Lewis Grabban’s contract is set to expire.

Moreover, plenty of Premier League clubs are interested in Brennan Johnson although promotion would surely see the 20-year-old remain at the City Ground for at least one more season.

Therefore, adding attacking quality to their ranks is an absolute must if Cooper’s side are to survive in the top flight, and bringing in Diallo for a season could provide a serious boost to their chances of staying in the Premier League.

AND in other news: Forest must secure deal for “strong” 21-goal monster, Cooper is already a big fan

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Nordi Mukiele to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday Mirror (29/5: page 76), who claim that Fabio Paratici is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the RB Leipzig full-back ahead of a potential move this summer.

Previous reports had claimed that, with one year remaining on his current deal at the Red Bull Arena, the Bundesliga side had initially planned to cash in on the 24-year-old ahead of 2022/23, with a figure in the region of €10m (£8.5m) believed to be enough to get a deal over the line.

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However, it is now believed that Domenico Tedesco is eager to tie the France international down to a new deal in Germany, although, with interest from Tottenham, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, the defender’s future appears very much up in the air at present.

The next Thuram

Considering just how talented a player Mukiele evidently is, in addition to the right-back looking to be available for an extremely reasonable asking price, it is easy to see why Conte and Paratici would be interested in a deal to bring the 24-year-old to north London this summer.

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £22.5m-rated talent ranks in the top 12% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90, as well as the top 3% for aerial duels won, the top 14% for clearances, the top 26% for pressures, the top 22% for progressive passes and the top 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area over the last 365 days.

Furthermore, FBref also rank the £40k-per-week defender – who is also more than comfortable operating at centre-back – in the top 22% for non-penalty goals per 90, the top 4% for non-penalty xG, the top 12% for shots, the top 21% for assists, the top 30% for xA and the top 11% for npxG+xA over the last 12 months.

These metrics see the right-back who has drawn comparisons to legendary French defender Lilian Thuram rank among some of the most prestigious full-backs currently playing the game, with FBref suggesting Mukiele’s most comparable peers are Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne and Tottenham’s own Sergio Reguilon.

As such, it is clear to see that the £8.5m signing of the “powerful” – in the words of Andrew Gibney – Frenchman would be something of a steal for Spurs, leading us to believe that Paratici must do everything he can to beat both United and PSG to a deal for the former Montpellier starlet this summer, as Mukiele could well prove to be Tottenham’s own Thuram under the management of Conte next season.

AND in other news: “Tottenham are..”: Fabrizio Romano drops big transfer update that supporters will love

Aston Villa are reportedly keen on signing West Ham forward Sonny Perkins this summer.

The Lowdown: Suarez links

Villa have been hard at work prior to the transfer window officially opening, with permanent deals for Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos already in place.

Steven Gerrard’s side are now exploring a move for Luis Suarez following his release from Atletico Madrid. Gregg Evans has recently added that Villa are ‘still weighing up’ a swoop for the former Liverpool star, and another highly-rated forward is also on the club’s radar.

The Latest: Perkins interest

According to ExWHUemployee, relayed by West Ham Zone, Villa and Leeds are both in the race to sign Perkins.

The 18-year-old is out of contract at the London Stadium at the end of the month and is yet to agree on new terms due to his ‘large wage’ demands. That has led to interest from Villa Park and Elland Road, with a potential compensation move on the cards.

The Verdict: No messing around

Perkins, described as a ‘stand out’ player for the Hammers youth side, seems to be an extremely talented centre-forward. He scored 16 goals in 24 appearances in Premier League 2 and the U18s Premier League, picking up the PL2 Player of the Month award in April.

The teenager also made two senior appearances in the Europa League and one in the Premier League last season, so a cut-price move to the Midlands could turn out to be a smart one in the long run.

Gerrard has already snapped up three huge talents, and adding another alongside an experienced head in Suarez would be a scarcely believable first summer window in charge for the gaffer.

In other news: Villa and NSWE adore ‘astonishing’ next target after Carlos; says ‘deal will happen’. 

Kevin de Bruyne’s stunning four-goal performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers a few weeks ago got us thinking. Who else is part of the exclusive club in which the Belgian has just cemented himself into? Can the club even be classed as exclusive? We wanted to find out.

In total, 27 players have done it in a Premier League game, with seven of those names even doing it twice and some even scoring more than four. The first time can be classed as a good day at the office. The second, however, should leave people in awe of what is a never-ending goal scoring machine.

Some names may surprise a few, whilst others should ignite memories of the past. I mean, who could forget Andrey Arshavin’s famous four at Anfield in a stunning 4-4 draw against Liverpool in April of 2009?

So, here’s the full list of all the players to have scored four or more goals in a Premier League game….

Every player to score 4 or more goals in a Premier League match…

Efan Ekoku – Everton 1-5 Norwich City 1993/94

Robbie Fowler (x2) – Liverpool 5-2 Bolton Wanderers; 1995/96, Liverpool 5-1 Middlesbrough, 1996/97

Gianluca Vialli – Chelsea 6-0 Barnsley, 1997/98

Jurgen Klinsmann – Tottenham Hotspur 6-2 Wimbledon, 1997/98

Michael Owen (x2) – Liverpool 5-1 Nottingham Forest, 1998/99; Liverpool 6-0 West Bromwich Albion, 2002/03

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2x) – Manchester United 8-1 Nottingham Forest, 1998/99; Manchester United 5-1 Everton, 1999/00

Andy Cole (x2) – Manchester United 9-0 Ipswich (5 goals), 1994/95; Manchester United 5-1 Newcastle United, 1999/00

Alan Shearer (5 goals) – Newcastle United 8-0 Sheffield Wednesday, 1990/00

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – Chelsea 6-1 Coventry, 2000/01

Mark Viduka – Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool, 2000/01

Thierry Henry – Arsenal 5-0 Leeds United, 2003/04

Yakubu (x2) – Portsmouth 5-1 Middlesbrough, 2003/04; Blackburn Rovers 4-2 Swansea City, 2011/12

Dimitar Berbatov (5 goals) – Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers 2010/11; Tottenham 6-4 Reading, 2007/08

Frank Lampard (2x) – Chelsea 6-1 Derby County, 2007/08; Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa, 2010/11

Andrey Arshavin – Arsenal 4-4 Liverpool, 2008/09

Robbie Keane – Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 Burnley, 2009/10

Jermain Defoe (5 goals) – Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic, 2009/10

Edin Džeko – Manchester City 5-1 Tottenham Hotspur, 2011/12

Wayne Rooney – Manchester United 4-0 Hull City, 2009/10

Louis Saha – Everton 5-3 Blackburn Rovers, 2010/11

Luis Suarez – Liverpool 5-1 Norwich City, 2013/14

Sergio Aguero (3x) – Manchester City 4-1 Tottenham Hotspur, 2014/15; Manchester City 6-1 Newcastle United (5 goals), 2015/16; Manchester City 5-1 Leicester City, 2017/18

Georginio Wijnaldum – Newcastle United 6-2 Norwich City, 2015/16

Romelu Lukaku – Everton 6-3 Bournemouth, 2016/17

Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 Leicester City, 2016/17

Mohamed Salah – Liverpool 5-1 Watford, 2017/18

Michail Antonio – West Ham 4-0 Norwich City, 2019/20

Heung-min Son – Tottenham Hotspur 5-2 Southampton, 2020/21

Gabriel Jesus – Manchester City 5-1 Watford, 2021/22

Kevin de Bruyne – Wolves 1-5 Manchester City, 2021/22

Interestingly enough, there has only been six seasons, in which a player hasn’t managed to score four or more goals at least once in a Premier League game, with this achievement ticked off the top flight bingo list in eight of the last nine seasons.

Who do you think will be next to join the plus four-goal club in the Premier League? Our money is on Erling Haaland…

An update has emerged on Tottenham and their interest in signing Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Spurs are one of the clubs interested in the winger as Fabio Paratici eyes a swoop for the Spaniard.

The report claims that Real Sociedad and Napoli are also keen on the ex-Watford man, who is said to be available for a fee in the region of €20m (£17m).

At this point, it remains to be seen who is leading the race for his signature and how much Paratici is willing to spend to get the deal done.

Antonio Conte’s own Paulo Dybala

If the Italian chief is able to secure a move for the 28-year-old then he will be landing Antonio Conte his own version of Paulo Dybala.

Spurs were reportedly keen on the current free agent before moving on and they can now bring in an alternative, yet similar, option in the wide areas in the form of Deulofeu.

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Both players are silky, talented, attackers who are capable of making a big impact in the final third in the Serie A for their respective teams, with FBRef listing them as similar players based on their statistics.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Dybala produced ten goals and five assists in 29 games for Juventus whilst creating 1.3 chances per game. The 28-year-old Argentine international showcased his quality on a regular basis for the Old Lady and would have been an excellent signing because of his knack for chipping in at the top end of the pitch.

However, Deulofeu also caught the eye with 13 goals and five assists whilst creating 2.4 chances per game for Udinese in the same division.

Reporter Anthony Lopopolo once dubbed the Spaniard “unstoppable” whilst the wizard was at Watford and his form in Italy suggests that he has carried his talent over to the Serie A.

He has shown that he can create chances on a regular basis whilst also carrying a goal threat. This means that he has the potential to be a match-winner for the club next season.

Conte would surely love to have a player of his quality to call upon as an alternative to the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski out wide. He can join as the Italian’s own version of Dybala and improve the depth of Tottenham’s options in the final third.

AND in other news, Paratici now given green light to seal “outstanding” Spurs signing, he’d be “clinical”…

An update has emerged regarding Glasgow Rangers and their chances of bringing one of their targets to Ibrox in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, Gers target Cedric Kipre has been deemed surplus to requirements at West Brom and now looks likely to leave the club.

The report claims that the Light Blues have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old since he played for Motherwell in the Premiership, and this update suggests that they have now been given a green light to seal a deal for him.

Birmingham Live reported earlier in the summer that the defender will be able to leave the English Championship club for a fee in the region of £1m.

Connor Goldson 2.0

Rangers snapped up Goldson from Brighton in 2018 and it is fair to say that the towering centre-back has been a successful signing at Ibrox.

To date, he has played a whopping 233 times in all competitions for the Gers and won the Premiership title, whilst also helping the team to reach the final of the Europa League last season.

In Kipre, the Light Blues can find their next centre-back from England to come in and make a huge impact in Glasgow.

The 25-year-old has proven himself in the Championship and would arrive with experience of the Scottish top flight after playing 36 times at that level for Motherwell in the 2017/18 campaign.

In 2021/22, Kipre averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.97 in 14 starts for the Baggies in the second tier of English football. He made an impressive 3.8 tackles and interceptions per match as he showcased his ability to read the game and win possession back for his team.

The Ivorian also caught the eye in the 2019/20 Championship season as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.99, making three tackles and interceptions per game.

Wigan podcaster Adam Pendlebury once hailed the defender’s ability, saying: “He was phenomenal. He was absolutely brilliant. He was confident, nothing got past him.”

These statistics show that Kipre has the quality to be a solid defender, just like Goldson has been over the years, and that is why he could be an excellent addition to Gio van Bronckhorst’s side.

At the age of 25, he could also give his best seasons to Rangers, as he is yet to reach the peak years of his career. This means that he can provide a short-term boost to the club’s options at centre-back whilst holding long-term value with his potential.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Wilson must now seal Rangers swoop for “outstanding” 26-goal monster…

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Takumi Minamino.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite being heavily linked with a move to Elland Road this summer, the Liverpool forward is now set to join AS Monaco in a deal worth €15m (£13m) plus €3m (£2.5m) in add-ons.

The transfer insider went on to state that the 27-year-old has also agreed personal terms with the Ligue 1 side, with the deal expected to be completed imminently.

In his tweet, Romano said: “AS Monaco and Liverpool are preparing paperworks for Takumi Minamino deal. Liverpool will receive €15m fee guaranteed and €3m add-ons related to performances as they initially wanted €17m. Done, sealed. Minamino has also accepted personal terms conditions.”

Supporters will be gutted

Considering just how well-suited Minamino would have been to Jesse Marsch’s tactical setup at Elland Road, in addition to the fact that the 48-year-old manager has a previous relationship with the Japan international, the news that the forward is now set to join Monaco is sure to have left both the American and supporters of the club gutted.

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Indeed, during his 22 appearances for Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg, the £10.8m-rated attacker demonstrated just how important he can be within the manager’s starting XI, scoring nine goals and registering 11 assists under the Leeds boss – including two goals and three assists in six Champions League fixtures.

Furthermore, while the 27-year-old was far from a first-team regular during his time at Liverpool, Minamino still managed to return impressive numbers, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists over 53 appearances – averaging a direct goal contribution every 125 minutes of football played.

As such, with Raphinha looking increasingly likely to move onto pastures new this summer, the Japanese forward would very much have appeared to be something of a perfect replacement for the Brazilian, however, following Romano’s latest update, it would now seem as if Victor Orta will have to turn his attention elsewhere in the summer transfer market.

AND in other news: Forget Adams: Orta can seal “unreal” deal with Leeds bid for “irreplaceable” £35m ace

West Ham are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs to have offered a contract to Christian Eriksen this summer, and if he were to arrive at the London Stadium, he could prove to be David Moyes’ own version of Kevin De Bruyne.

According to football.london, the Hammers are one of nine clubs to approach the Denmark international with a contract offer after he impressed in his six-month spell at Brentford last season.

After suffering a cardiac arrest when playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, it was unclear whether Eriksen would ever play football again, especially as Inter were forced to release him due to Serie A rules, which dictate that players cannot feature if they have a heart monitor.

Brentford took a gamble on signing the former Tottenham playmaker in January, with manager Thomas Frank claiming that the player was “world-class” upon his arrival.

In his 11 top-flight appearances for the club, Eriksen helped to revive the Bees’ form, inspiring them to a comfortable finish in their debut season in the Premier League.

The midfield maestro contributed one goal and four assists for the west London outfit, averaging an impressive 7.37 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

In his career so far, the Dane has contributed a remarkable 162 assists, so it is no surprise that, during his time at Spurs, former team-mate Dele Alli described him as a “magician on the ball”.

Eriksen’s quality in possession was clear to see, as he averaged 2.7 key passes per game for Brentford – for comparison, Pablo Fornals’ and Michail Antonio’s 1.3 key passes per game was the best of anyone in West Ham’s squad.

Therefore, it is clear to see the quality that the 30-year-old would add to Moyes’ squad next season, and he could perform a similar role to De Bruyne, who won the Premier League Player of the Season award as Manchester City secured another top-flight title last month.

According to FBRef, the Belgian is the second-most similar player to Eriksen in terms of style of play, while WhoScored suggests that both Eriksen and De Bruyne excel at passing, long shots and taking set pieces.

Considering how dangerous the Irons were from set pieces last term, there is little doubt that Eriksen would be a success in Moyes’ squad next year, so GSB should do everything they can to try and bring him in.

In other news… Romano says West Ham are “confident” of signing “fantastic” ace, supporters will be buzzing

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Chelsea attacker Hakim Ziyech.

The Lowdown: Ziyech links

The Whites are on the hunt for attacking reinforcements ahead of the new season and look set to lose star man Raphinha. Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier in the week that Leeds and Chelsea have agreed on a fee for the Brazilian worth around £60m-£65m.

Journalist Ben Jacobs stated prior to that agreement that the Whites were keen to bring Ziyech to Yorkshire in a potential swap deal after talking to ‘Leeds sources’. The 29-year-old, who was hailed “magical” by Blues influencer Frank Khalid, is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also play as a right-winger.

The Latest: Robinson’s comments

Robinson, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to MOT Leeds News regarding the links to Ziyech.

He was shocked at the rumour and said there is ‘no way’ the Moroccan would swap Stamford Bridge for Elland Road.

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“I can’t see that. Who’s dreamt that one up?

“There’s no way that Ziyech is coming to Leeds.

“I don’t think he’d fit into the system, I don’t think he’d fit into the ethos of what Jesse Marsch wants to do.

“He’s a top-quality player but he’s a luxury player.

“He’s not the type of player I’d want in my dressing room if we’re fighting relegation.

“And I strongly suspect with his CV and the level he’s playing at, he’s not going to want a relegation fight on his hands next season.”

The Verdict: Agree

We feel Robinson has got this one spot on. Ziyech made a £36m move to Chelsea from Ajax back in 2020 and has made 83 appearances for the Blues, contributing to 24 goals.

He has played in either the Champions League or Europa League throughout the majority of his career, so you’d expect he wouldn’t want to sacrifice that luxury at this stage of his career by signing for a Leeds side who just avoided relegation last season.

Leeds do need attacking reinforcements, though, but using funds from Raphinha’s potential exit and shopping abroad for a player like Charles de Ketelaere could be a wiser move in the long run.