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Rangers midfielder Stephen Kelly could possibly team up with an illustrious figure from the Ibrox club’s arch-rivals, as per a report from Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson.

The lowdown

Robertson says that the 22-year-old’s future is very much ‘up in the air’ this summer as he enters the final year of his contract at Ibrox.

Kelly, who came through the youth ranks at Auchenhowie, spent the latter half of the 2021/22 season on loan at English League Two club Salford City. It was his third temporary stint away from Ibrox after earlier spells with Ayr United and Ross County.

However, it’s said to be unlikely that he goes out on a loan for a fourth time, unless the Light Blues extend his contract beforehand.

The latest

According to Robertson for Football Scotland, Salford will ‘keep tabs’ on the situation with a view to a potential bid after Kelly ‘excelled’ at the Peninsula Stadium.

However, the 22-year-old may want to play at a higher level, and that could present an opportunity for Fleetwood Town boss and former Celtic stalwart Scott Brown, who is ‘actively exploring’ the Scottish market.

Robertson also names Dundee United, Hibernian and Kilmarnock, who wanted to sign Kelly in January, as potential suitors.

The verdict

Kelly’s loan at Salford was a resounding success, with the 22-year-old earning 18 starts and 21 appearances overall. His all-contribution was solid, as evidenced by his match averages of 1.9 tackles, 3.2 successful duels and 1.1 key passes (via SofaScore).

The 22-year-old has only made three appearances for Rangers’ first team, including one in a Europa League qualifier against Alashkert last summer.

However, his former manager John Hughes has called him a ‘magnificent’ player and ‘an absolute winner’ on the training pitch, and losing him to a Hoops icon in Brown would surely sting for many Rangers fans, if indeed Fleetwood can lure him from Ibrox.

In other news, Rangers have made an offer for this goalkeeper

Antonio Conte is plotting a fresh offer to bring Alessandro Bastoni to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, who claimed that, despite the 23-year-old’s agent Tullio Tinti recently revealing that the centre-back is likely to stay at Inter Milan this summer, the Spurs manager is now plotting a fresh offensive for the Italy international.

The report added that the 52-year-old’s latest move will see Tottenham offer the Nerazzuri €30m (£25m) in cash, along with the services of Davinson Sanchez, who has been made surplus to requirements at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering how exciting a prospect Bastoni evidently is, and with a move for the Inter starlet having very much looked dead in the water following Tinti’s recent claim, the news that Spurs could yet pursue a move for the 23-year-old this summer is sure to have left the Tottenham faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 31 Serie A appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated talent was in remarkable form for Simone Inzaghi’s side, helping Inter to keep eight clean sheets, along with making 1.1 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.8 clearances and winning 4.1 duels (at a success rate of 60%) per game.

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The £122k-per-week left-footer also impressed going forwards, bagging one goal, providing three assists and creating four big chances for his team-mates, in addition to completing 50.5 passes, four long balls, 0.4 dribbles and 0.5 key passes per fixture.

These metrics saw the 14-cap Italy international average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Inter’s second-best defender and their eighth-best player overall in the league this season.

Furthermore, according to FBRef data, the defender also ranks in the top 14% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, as well as the top 25% for passes completed, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, the top 22% for dribbles completed, the top 3% for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for pressures over the last 365 days.

As such, it is clear to see just how well suited Bastoni would be in the role of Conte’s left-sided centre-back at Tottenham, a position which is reported to be the manager’s priority in the summer transfer window.

Also, Sanchez very much appears to be second choice to Cristian Romero on the right of Conte’s back three, so should the Colombia international prove sufficient to convince Inter to part with Bastoni this summer, it is undeniable that it would be a swap deal well worth doing for Spurs.

AND in other news: Journalist drops “audacious” Spurs transfer claim that will leave supporters buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Moussa Diaby to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Express, who claim that Fabio Paratici is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen forward ahead of a potential move for the 22-year-old in the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to state that Manchester United also hold an interest in the France international, while The Telegraph claim that Newcastle United – who previously looked to be leading the race for the winger – are no longer pursuing a deal for Diaby, as the Magpies have been put off by his reported £60m price tag.

The next Mohamed Salah

Considering just how exciting a prospect Diaby clearly is, coupled with the fact that Steven Bergwijn is reportedly set to depart north London this summer, it is not difficult to understand why Antonio Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the Leverkusen starlet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming months.

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Indeed, over his 32 Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated talent was in remarkable form for Gerardo Seoane’s side, scoring 13 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 15 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.7 shots, making 1.9 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £48k-per-week winger – who can operate on either flank – average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Die Werkself’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of German football – playing a key role in the club securing an extraordinary third-place finish in the league.

For comparison, over Mohamed Salah’s 35 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, the joint Golden Boot winner scored 23 goals, provided 13 assists and created 18 big chances, in addition to taking an average of 4.0 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.5 dribbles per outing.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, Diaby also ranks in the top 9% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 6% for assists and the top 15% for npxG+xA over the last 365 days – with these metrics seeing FBref compare the 22-year-old to – you guessed it – Liverpool’s Egyptian wing wizard.

As such, considering the duo’s extremely similar traits and returns in the final third, should Paratici manage to get a deal for the player Nils Petersen dubbed “incredibly dangerous” over the line this summer, the Italian could well have unearthed the next Salah for Spurs – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for both Conte and supporters of Tottenham alike.

AND in other news: “I just can’t see…”: Gold now drops huge Spurs transfer update, Conte will be gutted

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Josko Gvardiol to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the RB Leipzig defender is one of Antonio Conte’s top transfer targets for the left-sided centre-back role in his three-man backline, despite the fact the 20-year-old would likely set Tottenham back an extremely large fee.

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A further report by the same publication claimed that Daniel Levy would have to pay a club-record fee – currently Tanguy Ndombele’s £63m signing from Lyon back in 2019 – in order to land the Croatia international this summer, with Jack Pitt-Brooke suggesting the former Dinamo Zagreb starlet will cost around £80m.

Alaba 2.0

Considering the sheer amount of potential Gvardiol quite clearly possesses, it is not difficult to see why Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the 20-year-old to north London in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £102m-rated talent ranks in the top 3% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90, as well as the top 16% for pressures, the top 23% for blocks and the top 24% for tackles over the last 365 days.

The £21k-per-week defender is also extremely creative with the ball at his feet, with FBref ranking him in the top 4% of centre-backs for passes attempted per 90, the top 3% for progressive passes, the top 1% for dribbles completed, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 6% for progressive passes received over the last year.

Furthermore, it is evident that Gvardiol also causes the opposition problems in an attacking capacity, with FBref ranking the centre-back in the top 7% of his peers for shot-creating actions per 90, in addition to the top 15% for npxG, the top 13% for assists, the top 4% for xA and the top 3% for npxG+xA over the last 12 months.

As such, it is easy to see why the former Bayern Munich centre-forward and Croatia international, Ivica Olic, claimed “everyone is talking about” the “extraordinary” Gvardiol, while it is also not difficult to understand why the Bundesliga website compares the defender’s style of play to that of Real Madrid’s David Alaba.

Indeed, should Fabio Paratici be able to get a deal over the line for the RB Leipzig star this summer, the Italian would appear to have landed Tottenham the next Alaba – something that is sure to be an incredibly exciting prospect for both Conte and supporters of the club alike.

AND in other news: Paratici now closing in on “unreal” £15m Spurs signing, it’ll give Arteta nightmares

Journalist Conor Clancy has made a transfer claim involving Manchester United and their pursuit of Napoli forward Victor Osimhen. 

The lowdown: United interested in Osimhen

After Erik ten Hag officially took over the helm as the club’s new manager, a major rebuild of the squad is expected over the course of the summer.

It has recently been reported that the Red Devils are desperate to bring the highly-rated 23-year-old Nigeria striker to Old Trafford as the Dutchman attempts to kickstart the transfer window with fresh faces coming in.

Looking at the possibility of making Osimhen part of the new era in Manchester, one journalist has suggested that such a move isn’t out of the question, but with one significant obstacle to overcome…

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The latest: Osimhen could cost £100m+

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Clancy claimed that the Glazers will have to exceed United’s club-record transfer expenditure in order to sign the 18-cap Nigeria predator.

He said of Osimhen: “I think he’s the next £100million sale from Serie A, whether it’s this summer or next summer. He’s not going to go cheap. Napoli signed him for £70million and that was very much with a view to selling him for more than that.

“A £10million profit on a player like Osimhen is not enough. He’s a superstar.”

The verdict: At all costs

A nine-digit transfer fee is eye-watering, but Osimhen boasts an outstanding 66 goals in 152 senior outings in what has been a rapidly rising career trajectory to date, and he would certainly offer a longer-term option than United’s current primary goal-getter Cristiano Ronaldo.

During the 2021/22 campaign, the powerful Nigerian centre-forward scored 18 times and provided another six assists in 32 appearances across all competitions, boasting an impressive 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst taking 3.4 shots per Serie A game in the process.

As Ten Hag attempts to oversee a revamp of the squad at Old Trafford, Anthony Martial appears a likely candidate to leave the club altogether, so Osimhen would seem the ideal man to become an instant replacement for the out-of-favour Frenchman, given his enviable track record.

In other news: Man Utd and Ten Hag launch ‘important offer’ to sign ‘the future’ of football along with De Jong

Celtic will be looking to replicate this season’s Premiership success once the 2022/23 campaign gets underway at the end of July.

In addition, Ange Postecoglou will undoubtedly want to see his team win the domestic cups and go as far in Europe as they can.

Before the new season kicks off, the Bhoys will have the chance to improve their squad during the upcoming summer transfer window to put themselves in the best shape for domestic and European success.

As things stand, it seems as though the Parkhead club have one transfer in their sights which would surely have the Celtic fans jumping for joy.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from A Bola (via Sport Witness) Celtic’s on-loan winger Jota is likely to sign a permanent deal with the Hoops in the coming weeks.

During his season on loan in Scotland from Portuguese club Benfica, the winger made 40 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and delivering 14 assists in the process.

With 10 of those goals and 11 of those assists coming in his 29 league appearances, it’s safe to say that he played a big part in Celtic’s title-winning campaign.

To further highlight his attacking talent, only Liel Abada (81) at Parkhead ended the season with more shots than the 23-year-old (76).

His overall performances earned him a season rating of 7.53/10, making him the second-highest rated player currently in Celtic’s squad behind David Turnbull according to WhoScored.

Labelled a “striker’s dream” by BBC Scotland pundit Marvin Bartley, Jota has shown how much of a dangerous attacking threat he can be for the Hoops and why it would be such a great deal for them to sign him on a permanent basis.

Having also had his performances for the Hoops described as “unbelievable” by Postecoglou, it’s safe to say that the 56-year-old would be over the moon to have the winger in his squad for the foreseeable future.

If Celtic can announce a permanent transfer for the £18.5k-per-week star as their first completed deal for the summer, this will surely get Hoops supporters buzzing and put the club in a good place to move on to other deals that they may want to get done.

In other news – Signed for £4.5m, now worth 70% less: Celtic had a huge howler on £9k-p/w “disaster”

Liverpool currently have the second-best defence in the Premier League this season, with just 25 goals conceded in 37 games.

Even though the Reds still have one match left to play in this top-flight campaign, which could potentially end with Jurgen Klopp’s side winning the league title, it seems as though the manager and the club’s hierarchy have identified one player who could make a move to Anfield in the summer.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Voetbal International (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have joined the race to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

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The report also claimed that fellow Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Leicester City and Newcastle United are all interested in signing the 24-year-old.

After scoring two goals and providing five assists in 86 appearances for Toulouse, the midfielder joined his current club in September 2020.

Since then, the Ivory Coast international has gone on to make 87 appearances in Eindhoven across all competitions, scoring five goals and supplying six assists along the way.

With 29 league appearances to his name this season, no other PSV player has racked up more minutes than Sangare, showing just how important he has been to the Eredivisie giants.

To further highlight his significance to the team and his defensive talents, he has the highest average for tackles (3.3) and interceptions (2.6) per game of any PSV player in the 2021/22 campaign.

Klopp’s own Yaya Toure?

Speaking about the PSV maestro, African journalist Alpha Balde put him in the same frame as two of the Premier League’s most decorated midfield stars of yesteryear. He said of the 24-year-old: “Physically, he’s like Yaya Toure but he reminds me of Michael Essien.”

Sangare has also received praise in the past from his former Toulouse boss Alain Casanova, who dubbed the Ivorian a “complete” player who is “calm in small spaces and comes out of pressure in incredible ways.”

Casanova also said that the PSV midfielder has “a great ability to recover the ball and does a huge amount of running.”

Taking all this into account, if Liverpool are to secure a deal for Sangare in the summer, which could reportedly cost them £30m, this could end up being a great bit of business from the Merseyside club and strengthen what is already a world-class squad.

In other news: FSG eyeing Liverpool swoop for £106m-rated titan, he will “be better than Van Dijk”

Newcastle United have reportedly now made contact over the potential signing of Victor Osimhen in the summer.

The Lowdown: Club record

Rated at €100m (£85m), Osimhen would comfortably be the North East club’s record signing, should he make the move to St. James’ Park .

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That would be more than double what they paid for current club-record signing Joelinton, and would really signify the start of a new era under the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) consortium, who may well be looking to make a big statement signing after officially securing Premier League safety this week.

The Latest: Osimhen contact

Writing in his latest piece for Calciomercato, transfer expert Daniele Longo has revealed that the Tyneside outfit have now made contact in the ‘last few hours’ over the signing of Osimhen, along with Manchester United.

They are one of only a select few clubs who can afford to sign the Napoli striker, as the report claims Premier League teams are the only ones with the cash to sign him this summer.

The Verdict: Sign

Yes, it is a lot of money to pay, but at 23 years of age, Osimhen has the potential to become one of the best players in the world, and so the Magpies should fork out the premium price now in order to reap the benefits over the next few years.

Dubbed ‘the most terrifying striker in Europe’ by journalist and African football expert Saddick Adams, the Nigeria international has no fewer than 17 goals and six assists in total over all competitions so far this season (Transfermarkt), and will be desperate to prove himself in the English top flight.

Nonetheless, with Erling Haaland destined for Manchester City this summer, the Toon could sign their own big name number nine to really send out a statement.

In other news, find out which ‘absolute beast’ NUFC are now eyeing here!

Crystal Palace look set to fend off interest in academy star David Obou by securing his services to a three-year professional deal, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Obou profiled

Obou joined Palace’s academy in January 2021 and has seemingly caught the eye at international level, along with the attention of several clubs.

The 16-year-old, who can play on either flank or in a central attacking midfield role, is being tracked by France and has been invited to play for England at youth level.

He has already turned out for Palace’s under-18s, and it looks as if he will remain with the Eagles when he turns 17 in November.

The Latest: Obou set to sign new Palace deal

The Daily Mail’s David Kent shared a story on Monday evening, suggesting that Palace will fend off interest from Bayern Munich and PSV Eindhoven to secure Obou to a three-year professional contract.

They described it as a boost for Palace, with the club agreeing on terms for a professional deal to kick in when he turns 17 later this year.

The Verdict: Good news for Palace

Obou clearly has plenty of potential, judging by  the two European clubs being keen on his services, so Palace landing the teenager on a permanent professional deal can only be good news for Patrick Vieira.

The Eagles have a number of exciting attacking youngsters coming through, including Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and David Omilabu, who both penned professional deals last year, and Obou looks set to follow in their footsteps.

The next step for the 16-year-old could be to establish himself in the club’s under-23s over the coming years, with a view to eventually breaking through into Vieira’s first-team setup.

In other news: Journo says Palace are now ‘in talks’ with ‘effortless’ £19.8m-rated maestro. 

Aston Villa will be looking to sell French midfielder Morgan Sanson in the summer transfer window as Steven Gerrard aims to rejig his playing squad.

What’s the word?

According to former Villa striker Kevin Phillips, who was speaking to Football Insider, the 27-year-old midfielder will “definitely” leave the side in the upcoming summer transfer window, while suggesting that the manager will be “desperate” to sell him.

The club will reportedly accept bids around the £10m mark as they aim to cut their losses on the Frenchman.

Gerrard is desperate to sell

Gerrard is having a mixed spell at Villa so far since his arrival from Rangers in mid-November. A solid start was disrupted by a tough period over Christmas and New year, and while relegation was never really a threat, the former England captain will want to stamp his authority on the side ahead of an important campaign.

The manager will be desperate to sell Sanson, especially if a bid is going to be made on Philippe Coutinho and funds will need to be raised.

Unfortunately, it just hasn’t worked out for the midfielder at Villa Park since his arrival from Marseille in January 2021.

He has only featured in 21 matches for Villa during this underwhelming stint and after an injury in September, Dean Smith labelled it a “frustrating” time for the Frenchman.

During that time, he has only ever started six league games and has consistently underperformed, achieving a WhoScored average match rating of just 6.34 this term.

Gerrard and the club’s ownership, NSWE, will be hoping to cut their losses and gather the majority of the £16m transfer fee back that was spent on the player as the manager decides whether to plot a bid for loan star Coutinho.

With Villa’s most important transfer window fast approaching, recruitment will need to be spot on if Gerrard aims to push the side into the European spots next season and justify the decision to hire him in the first place.

If he has a slow start, then the board might have a decision to make.

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