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Liverpool have been heavily linked with Raphinha for a while, and a new update has now emerged on Leeds United’s latest stance on the prospective sale of the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, the Whites would now be willing to accept a transfer fee of €50m (£42.8m) for the Brazilian winger, and that could be revised down even further.

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As per the report, Raphinha has made clear his desire to leave his current club, with Barcelona being his first choice option for this summer, although both Liverpool and Arsenal have also approached with interest.

Klopp’s next Jota

Liverpool don’t always sign their star players from within the Premier League, but when they have done during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure they have struck gold, with Sadio Mane, Virgil Van Dijk and Diogo Jota all having a massive impact at Anfield after leaving their former English top-flight clubs.

Jota in particular has had a fantastic impact competing for a place in Liverpool’s formidable front three since joining from Wolves in 2020 for a similar fee (£41m) as Raphinha’s reported asking price.

The Portuguese maestro has scored 34 goals and delivered nine assists in 85 appearances for Liverpool, with a goal contribution every 124 minutes for the Reds, proving that he has been a worthwhile signing.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here.

Raphinha could now follow in the footsteps of Jota by joining the Merseyside giants to compete for a place in their team and potentially becoming a key component in the club’s pursuit for more trophies.

Following Sadio Mane’s imminent departure, Divock Origi’s contract expiry and the expected sale of Takumi Minamino this summer, there will definitely be an opportunity for the Brazilian to apply his talents and strengths in the team despite the signing of another striker in Darwin Nunez.

The Leeds winger, who was dubbed a “proper talent” by Joe Cole, has scored 17 goals and contributed 12 assists since joining the Whites in 2020. He has been a consistent threat for the West Yorkshire club, duly cementing his status as a fan favourite with his heroics against Brentford a month ago to keep Jesse Marsch’s side in the top flight.

FSG should not give up on their pursuit of the Brazilian, as Raphinha could be a great asset to replace the depth lost in the forward line at Anfield this summer, especially now that Leeds are seemingly resigned to selling him for much less than originally intended.

AND in other news: Major Liverpool transfer twist emerges; Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated

Aston Villa have now made Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a transfer priority, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Busy summer

Villa haven’t wasted any time in preparing for Steven Gerrard’s first full season in charge of the club.

Four new signings are already through the door at a cost of just under £50m, while Matt Targett has sealed a permanent move to Newcastle. [Transfermarkt]

Gerrard is on the hunt for more additions, though, and it looks as if Oxlade-Chamberlain is a real target over the coming months.

The Latest: Villa interest in Oxlade-Chamberlain

Football Insider shared a story on Saturday afternoon regarding Villa and Oxlade-Chamberlain. They claimed that Gerrard is a ‘huge’ admirer of the midfielder and has made him a top priority.

Liverpool are willing to cash in on the 28-year-old as he enters the final 12 months of his Anfield contract, with the Villa manager keen to use Oxlade-Chamberlain in an advanced midfield role.

The Verdict: Interesting…

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been dubbed ‘unreal’ by journalist Joel Rabinowitz in the past during a reasonably prolific 2019/20 season, has lined out in a number of midfield and attacking roles throughout his career, so he would bring plenty of versatility to Villa Park.

He has been compared stylistically to Philippe Coutinho, although the Englishman has featured as an attacking midfielder on just 17 occasions throughout his career. Most of his displays have either come as a central midfielder or on the right, so it will be interesting to see how Oxlade-Chamberlain copes at Villa Park, should a move go through.

A transfer may not be too expensive due to the player’s contract situation at Anfield, and with Gerrard a ‘huge’ admirer of the 28-year-old, this appears to be one to watch closely.

In other news: Gerrard set to axe £18m-rated Villa pair next after Targett; ‘very important’ Smith star may go

Tottenham Hotspur have also held ‘negotiations’ to sign a ‘perfect player’ for manager Antonio Conte, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Spurs busy…

The Lilywhites have certainly been one of the busier Premier League teams of this transfer window so far, having already confirmed both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on Bosman deals.

They’re also rumoured to be closing in on a third as reports surround Brighton and Hove Albion star Yves Bissouma, perhaps setting up this summer window as Tottenham’s busiest and most exciting in years.

Sharing an update, Thomas of Sky now says there have been ‘negotiations’ to sign another player Conte.

The Latest: Thomas makes Spurs claim…

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According to the journalist, the club and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, have held talks over signing Middlesbrough starlet Djed Spence.

However, Thomas also states that no deal has been agreed ‘yet’.

When asked for the latest update on Spence, he explained:

“There have been negotiations. Deal not agreed yet.”

The Verdict: Start moving…

Securing the 21-year-old would balance out Tottenham’s troubling homegrown quota issue and provide Conte with an exciting wing-back option.

Described as the ‘perfect player for Conte’ by talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, other members of the media have said he ‘massively fits the bill’ for Spurs’ head coach after an ‘incredible’ season on loan at Nottingham Forest over 2021/2022 (Alan Hutton).

Spence’s mooted £20 million asking price could be a reasonable valuation given the amount of benefits he would provide Spurs and this is a move which should certainly be prioritised.

In other news: Conte enters pole position to sign ‘excellent’ international defender for Spurs! Find out more here.

West Bromwich Albion were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt at securing promotion back to the Premier League this season after finishing 10th in the Championship.

The Baggies ended their underwhelming campaign with 67 points on the board from 18 wins, 13 draws and 15 defeats.

One player in West Brom’s squad who didn’t end up having much of an impact throughout the season is Matt Phillips.

Having appeared in 28 league games, the 31-year-old only scored three goals and provided two assists, all of which came between August and September.

With that in mind, it’s safe to say that, despite his versatility in playing across numerous attacking positions, the Scotsman was not a reliable attacking figure for the Baggies.

Now that this dismal season has come to an end, West Brom’s focus can shift to the upcoming summer transfer window and their preparations for the 2022/23 campaign.

In terms of potential incoming transfers, one figure who has been linked with a move to The Hawthorns and could be a big upgrade on Phillips is Scott Twine.

Twine can be huge Phillips upgrade

After joining MK Dons last summer, the 22-year-old went on to have a storming debut season with the League One side. In 46 league appearances, he found the net on 20 occasions and delivered 13 assists in the process.

This shows just how consistent he can be when it comes to not only scoring goals but setting them up for his team-mates as well, which is something that West Brom needed from Phillips this season.

With Twine averaging 3.3 shots per game this season in the third tier, this is more than double the average that Phillips (1.4) managed for his side.

As a result of his impressive efforts on the pitch, the MK Dons gem ended the season as the joint-second highest-rated player in the entire league according to WhoScored, with an overall performance rating of 7.41/10.

Labelled a “terrific character” by his manager Liam Manning, Twine is reportedly valued at £3m.

Given his fairly young age and his clear attacking talent, the former Swindon Town ace certainly has what it takes to not only be a prospective solid summer signing for West Brom but also a big upgrade on the misfiring Phillips.

In other news: Bruce can unearth WBA’s next Pereira by unleashing “splendid” rarely-seen teenage prodigy

Liverpool superstar Roberto Firmino has confirmed that he wants to stay put with the Reds, following speculation regarding his future at the club.

The Lowdown: Firmino’s future up in the air

The futures of the Reds’ legendary front-three of Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are all major talking points at the moment, with the trio out of contract next year.

It remains to be seen whether or not they will all still be Liverpool players next season but the hope is certainly that that will be the case – Salah has claimed he will stay while Mane is strongly linked with Bayern Munich.

Firmino’s stock has arguably fallen the most in recent times, following injury problems and the arrival of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, but he remains a vital squad player.

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The Latest: Brazilian makes decision

Speaking to TNT Sports [via Sport Witness] following Salah’s admission, Firmino also confirmed that he still wants to be a Liverpool player moving forward:

“I’m very happy here. I’m grateful to God that I’m here playing for a great club with great players, winning titles. And my will is to stay.

“My wish is to stay here. I want to be here. I’m happy here. So that’s all I can say, I want to stay.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Liverpool

This is great news for Liverpool, at a time when Salah and Mane haven’t yet committed their long-term futures to the club, with Firmino hailed as ‘world-class’ by Jurgen Klopp in the past.

As mentioned, the 30-year-old’s peak years are now behind him but he has still scored 11 goals and registered five assists across all competitions this season.

He has enough left in the tank to be a key squad player for several more years – the hope now is that Salah and Mane follow suit and keep the old gang together.

In other news, three Liverpool players have been touted for summer exits. Find out who they are here.

David Moyes has led West Ham to one of their finest seasons in recent memory, taking them to the Europa League semi-finals and securing continental qualification for next term as well.

The 59-year-old will believe that he can now take the Irons to the next level, and this may require some positive transfer business during the summer.

According to Calciomercato, West Ham are interested in a move for Josip Brekalo this summer, who has spent the season on loan at Torino, with the winger’s parent club Wolfsburg keen on selling him in the summer.

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Brekalo could be available for just €10m (£8.5m) and this could be an excellent piece of business if Moyes can pull it off.

Moyes must land Brekalo for West Ham

West Ham have done brilliantly this season despite relying on the same core group of players as last term, and the addition of attacking options remains one of the priorities ahead of the transfer window.

With only one player in the squad scoring more than ten goals this season (Jarrod Bowen with 12), it’s clear to see where the weakness lies, and Moyes needs to improve that with the prospective signing of Brekalo.

The Croatian has scored seven times and registered two assists this season at Torino, a decent if not spectular tally. At only 23 years old though, he has the time to improve even further, and a move to the Premier League could be the catalyst for him to utilise his potential.

Compared to Bowen (2.96), Said Benrahma (2.86), and Michail Antonio (3.19), Brekalo generates 4.22 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, a considerably higher return than the West Ham trio.

The Croatian (80) also puts more crosses into the opposition penalty area compared to Bowen (53) and Benrahma (64), creating more goalscoring opportunities for team-mates.

Journalist Ronan Murphy stated that Brekalo will “torment defenders” everywhere, and with his form also being dubbed “frightening” by Josh Bunting, it’s no wonder that Moyes is looking to add the 23-year-old to the West Ham squad over the summer. It’s an opportunity that he cannot afford to let slip.

AND in other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop

Everton have held a long term interest in James Tarkowski and were previously linked to signing the defender back in January and now a new update has emerged ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, an Everton source has revealed that the club has tabled an offer of £120k-per-week for recently relegated Burnley defender Tarkowski.

As per the report, the Everton source claimed that the Toffees have put together a lucrative deal to cement their serious intent to sign Tarkowski, with Newcastle United and West Ham United named as clubs competing for his services.

The Toffees look to beat Leicester City, Aston Villa and Fulham to secure the signature of the player who will not renew his contract at his current club.

Mason Holgate upgrade

There is no doubt that big improvements are needed at the club ahead of next season to ensure that Everton don’t find themselves in the same situation they have experienced this season, battling relegation down to the wire.

One huge area of improvement is the defence in the squad after the side conceded 66 goals, 23 more than they have scored in total this season, and the 5-1 loss on the final day should be ringing alarm bells in Frank Lampard’s head ahead of the summer transfer window.

Despite being relegated this season with Burnley, Tarkowski has been a stand out performer and solid force for the side which clearly reflects in the amount of Premier League clubs interested in signing the defender this summer.

When you compare the 29-year-old brute who was hailed “outstanding” by Sean Dyche, to Everton’s Mason Holgate it is clear he would be a big upgrade in the defensive back-line at Goodison Park next season.

According to Squawka, Tarkowski has won more tackles, duels, interceptions, blocks and made more clearances than his position competitor in Merseyside, so if Lampard could secure the signing it would be a major coup for the Toffees next season and surely improve their defensive play.

With that being said, Everton will have to hope their attractive offer will be tempting enough to get Tarkowski to make the short move across the North West to join the club this summer.

AND in other news: Everton plot move for £10m monster who’s “solid as a rock”, Lampard needs him badly

Leeds United are back in action on Sunday with a crucial Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion at Elland Road.

With the Whites currently in the relegation zone, they will need to make sure that they do all they can to pick up all three points this time around and hope that Burnley and Everton do the opposite in their games.

Their previous outing turned out to be yet another disappointing one for Jesse Marsch and his side, who lost 3-0 to Chelsea in midweek.

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One concern which arose during this defeat was that Raphinha looked to have picked up an injury problem, which eventually led to him being taken off in the 78th minute.

Looking ahead to this clash against Graham Potter’s side, it seems as though an update has emerged which will have lots of Whites supporters buzzing.

What’s the news?

Leeds journalist Phil Hay shared a post on Twitter relaying news from Marsch in his recent press conference regarding the fitness and availability of Raphinha.

According to the Leeds manager, the winger will be fit enough to play against the Seagulls this weekend.

Taking into account how the Brazilian is currently the Whites’ top scorer in the league this season with 10 goals and three assists to his name in 33 appearances, this will come as a huge boost to everyone of an Elland Road persuasion ahead of the Brighton clash.

To further highlight how important the 25-year-old has been for the Whites in the current campaign, he has the highest number of shots (78) and shots on target (19) at the club. He also has the highest number of shot-creating and goal-creating actions to his name out of anyone at Leeds.

The 25-year-old’s overall performances in 2021/22 have earned him a season rating of 6.94/10, making him the joint-highest rated outfield player at the club according to WhoScored.

With all that in mind, it’s undeniable that having him available to take on Brighton will have Whites fans elated and give the home side a much bigger chance of securing a victory than if they didn’t have him.

Marsch and everyone else connected with Leeds will undoubtedly be hoping that Raphinha can push his side to a much-needed victory against the south coast club as they make the long trip to Elland Road.

In other news: Insider drops huge Leeds transfer claim involving “big names”, supporters will love it

The future of Leeds United appears increasingly uncertain as we enter the closing stages of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, with the Whites’ 2-1 loss at Arsenal on Sunday, coupled with Everton’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City, seeing Jesse Marsch’s side slip into the relegation zone with just three games left to play.

Indeed, these two results could very easily prove to be a sliding door moment in Leeds’ campaign, something that could render Luke Ayling’s red card for a cynical and unnecessary two-footed challenge on Gabriel Martinelli in the first half of the fixture as the moment that sealed the Whites’ fate.

This is an opinion Jamie Carragher clearly holds, with the former Liverpool centre-back telling Sky Sports (via talkSPORT): “What an idiot. The lack of professionalism from his teammates and what this could mean going forward.

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“It’s not just going down to 10 men, it’s a disgusting tackle going in with two feet and reminds me of a tackle that Vinnie Jones did a long time ago. What he thinks is going to happen on the back of that, I don’t know. It was an obvious red card.

“To put your team down to 10 men, miss the last three games of the season, that might be the last game that Luke Ayling ever plays in the Premier League.”

As Carragher suggests, the 30-year-old’s subsequent three-match suspension could well mean the Arsenal loss is the last time the right-back features in a Premier League fixture for Leeds, however, with Phil Hay recently suggesting that Victor Orta could look to replace the defender this summer, Sunday could also have been the £35k-per-week Ayling’s last outing for the club altogether.

If this does prove to be the case, before Orta spends millions of pounds on a potential replacement in the summer transfer window, it would seem an extremely wise move for Jesse Marsch to take a closer look at 20-year-old Cody Drameh, as the youngster could well be a perfect successor to the 30-year-old full-back.

Indeed, the £900k-rated talent highly impressed over his 22 Championship appearances on loan at Cardiff City this season, helping his side keep six clean sheets, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 interceptions, 3.8 tackles, 2.0 clearances and winning 6.9 duels – at a success rate of 57% – per game.

These returns saw the £4.4k-per-week starlet who Glen Williams dubbed “such an exciting prospect” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as the Bluebirds’ fourth-best performer in the English second tier.

As such, should Orta and Marsch indeed believe it is best to move Ayling onto pastures new this summer, they could save Andrea Radrizzani millions of pounds in transfer fees by finally handing Drameh a much-deserved shot in the first team.

AND in other news: Orta can land £60m talent’s dream replacement with Leeds bid for £46k-p/w “phenomenon”

Manchester City have a healthy number of English players in their squad who have played for the senior national team such as, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish.

Now that the next summer transfer window is around the corner, the Citizens have been linked with another English talent who has been a regular figure in the Premier League for a number of years.

It was reported late last month that the Manchester club have their eye on signing Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse during the upcoming summer transfer window.

However, it seems as though a behind-the-scenes development has emerged which could be a setback for Pep Guardiola’s side and their attempts to bring the 27-year-old to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

What’s the latest?

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl seems to have poured cold water on the possibility of the Saints captain making an exit from St Mary’s this summer.

The Austrian said: “He has another four years on his contract, he’s our captain and he’s happy here. Fans love him and we know how important he is to our team. The development of his game is why he’s a true winner.”

Bad news for City

If City are aiming to add the Southampton star to their ranks this summer, taking into account what Hasenhuttl has had to say, this could be bad news for their chances of securing the Englishman’s signature.

Having worked his way through the youth ranks at the south coast club to then go on and make 360 senior appearances across all competitions, it’s easy to see why Saints supporters have an infatuation with the midfield star, according to Hasenhuttl. In those senior appearances, the 27-year-old has scored 43 goals and provided 48 assists along the way.

To further highlight just how crucial he is for his team, no other Southampton player has completed more passes (1,515) or made more shot-creating actions (105) than Ward-Prowse this season.

This shows just how reluctant the south coast club would be to let him leave this summer, especially to another Premier League side, and it comes as a big blow to City’s chances of landing him this year.

Given the midfielder’s apparent happiness at Southampton and the fact that his current contract there isn’t set to expire until 2026, the Citizens would have to splash out a big amount of cash and use all their persuasive power if they are to convince Ward-Prowse to wave goodbye to his boyhood club.

In other news: “Will sign..”: Exciting behind-the-scenes Man City claim is great news for supporters