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An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Federico Chiesa to Newcastle?

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has revealed that the Magpies are tracking Juventus winger Federico Chiesa ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The reporter has stated, however, that they are not in official talks with the Serie A club over a deal for the Italy international at this moment in time.

It is also claimed, in Di Marzio's attached article, that fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are interested in the attacker, although the player is said to be uninterested in a move to Unai Emery's team.

This comes as Newcastle prepare to complete the signing of Chiesa's international teammate, Sandro Tonali, from AC Milan for €70m (£60m) on a six-year deal.

How did Federico Chiesa perform last season?

The 25-year-old attacker, who is still fully working his way back from the ACL injury he suffered at the start of 2022, showed signs of promise in his limited Serie A game time for Juventus.

He only started six league matches for the Old Lady and was able to contribute with an impressive two goals and five assists from out wide, whilst also being involved in two goals in three Europa League starts.

However, if Eddie Howe can get Chiesa back to the form he displayed in 2020/21, the £153k-per-week ace could represent a big upgrade on current left-winger Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Italian dynamo, who former teammate Gianluigi Buffon once hailed as "impossible to stop", averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.19 across 33 Serie A outings and chipped in with nine goals and nine assists, to go along with 18 'big chances' created in 2020/21.

His ability to score, as well as create goals and quality opportunities on a regular basis made him a constant threat on the left wing in a major European league for Juventus – and Saint-Maximin has never been able to hit those heights on Tyneside.

Since arriving at St James' Park in 2019, the Frenchman has never created more than eight 'big chances' in a single season, while his best return in front of goal came when he scored five and assisted five in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

The 26-year-old forward has never proven himself capable of delivering goals and assists on a regular basis for the Magpies during his time in England, so the club could now land an upgrade on him by signing Chiesa.

Whilst the Juventus magician has had a difficult couple of years due to injury, his form prior to suffering a devastating ACL injury suggests that this is a gamble worth taking for Howe and Newcastle, as they could end up with a terrific successor to Saint-Maximin.

Chelsea could be set to see some further players make the move from west London to Saudi Arabia this summer with Kalidou Koulibaly a potential departure.

How old is Kalidou Koulibaly?

It was a season which Chelsea will be hoping to forget in a hurry after the 2022/23 campaign was only able to offer them a 12th placed finish in the Premier League.

Although many will want to forget the season's failings, it will be important for Todd Boehly to learn from their errors which led to such a disastrous campaign.

And it seems as if the American's hectic transfer strategy could be set to continue into this summer with a number of exits potentially set to be finalised.

Indeed, it has been suggested N'Golo Kante's time at Stamford Bridge is coming to an end with a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia set to see the Frenchman move to the Middle East.

And he may not be the only Chelsea star to make the move this summer with the likes of the 31-year-old Koulibaly also believed to be lined up for a move by Al-Hilal.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Senegal international could be set to bring in around £25m for the Blues this summer:

"From what I told, Chelsea would get around €25m/€30m [£21m/£26m]. This is still under discussion will continue [this] week, but the fee will be around €30m [£26m] for Chelsea for Kalidou Koulibaly.

"This is the expectation between Chelsea and Al-Hilal. It's fair to say that also Inter Milan asked for Koulibaly on loan but Chelsea have been very clear only permanent transfer and this is why now Al-Hilal are the favourites."

How much does Koulibaly earn?

The 31-year-old has only played one season in the English top flight since arriving at Stamford Bridge last summer from Napoli.

It was believed the experienced centre-back signed for the Blues in a deal worth in the region of £33m.

Having signed for the Blues, it is reported the Senegal international was handed a stunning £295k-per-week deal to play in west London.

Despite earning such an enormous weekly wage, the experienced defender only made 20 starts for the Blues in the Premier League over the 2022/23 campaign.

And with this in mind, there is a huge sum of money being spent every week on a player who is not exactly contributing a huge deal to the starting XI.

Considering how heavily Chelsea have spent under the stewardship of Boehly and co, a potential deal to bring in around £25m for a player who is not exactly a crucial part of the starting XI could pose a seriously attractive proposition.

The Blues spent in the region of £600m last season under Boehly, and potential deals like this could possibly help the Londoners to balance their books.

Qatar’s Al-Watan newspaper has reported that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s bid to complete a takeover of Manchester United has been completed and will be announced soon.

What is the latest MUFC takeover news?

For months now rumours have circulated about who could be the new owners of Old Trafford, or if the club had even actually been fully put up for sale by the Glazer family.

While the situation is ever-changing, it wasn’t that long ago that Ineos’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe was viewed as the leading candidate as his bid would see two of the Glazers stay put in a partial takeover, though it would still see the British billionaire become majority owner.

However, as reported by CNBC, Manchester United shares surged as much as 30% in premarket trading on Tuesday, before paring gains, after Qatari media suggested Sheikh Jassim was likely to succeed with his takeover bid.

Indeed, a Tweet from the Al-Watan newspaper wrote about the “success of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim’s acquisition of Manchester United” and said the announcement of deal the will be done “soon.”

On top of that, Zaid Al-Hamdan, who is the Vice Chairman of the Canadian Qatari Business Council and Chairman of Armasite Group – and is followed by Sheikh Jassim’s brother on Twitter – also spoke of ‘successful’ acquisition.

He wrote on social media: “Congratulations to Shaikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim on his acquisition of Man Utd.”

How big is Man United’s debt?

In that CNBC report, they also note that a spokesperson for Manchester United was not immediately available to comment and so these reports are only coming from Qatar and have not been confirmed by the English side as of yet.

Last week, BBC Sport stated that Sheikh Jassim had made a final bid for 100% of the club and he will clear United’s debt – reported to be £969.6m – and has a separate fund for the club and local community as part of his offer.

If he is to fail with that bid, the Qatari banker will pull out of the race and so it feels as though we have finally reached crunch time with regard to the whole takeover saga.

It remains to be seen if his offer will be enough to meet the Glazer family’s demands but it seems those outside of England are pretty confident a deal has been struck at last.

Arsenal have been linked with a host of players ahead of the transfer window, with the latest news suggesting that the Gunners are eyeing a fellow Premier League ace.

Mikel Arteta will hope to arm his squad with the necessary depth to challenge once more for the league title, after falling short this season to treble-winners Manchester City.

What’s the latest on Timothy Castagne to Arsenal?

As reported by Belgian outlet Het Belang van Limburg – relayed by Sport Witness – Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne has been eyed by Arsenal.

The report runs off the narrative of Belgium’s match-ups against Austria and Estonia, stating that the ties will be a chance for players to show their worth ahead of the transfer window.

It’s suggested that Castagne could have a potential suitor in Arsenal, following his relegation to the Championship with the Foxes.

The full-back is currently valued at £26m as per Football Transfers.

What could Timothy Castagne bring to Arsenal?

Lauded as “brilliant” by teammate Jamie Vardy, the Belgian has been a revelation since trading Serie A for the Premier League, signing from Atalanta for £21.5m in 2020.

A flock of players have been linked with moves away from the Foxes following their relegation, with movements starting with Youri Tielemans who has made the switch to Aston Villa.

Arsenal could land themselves added defensive quality in moving for the 27-year-old, in a move that could finally see Cedric Soares depart.

The Portuguese defender went on loan to Fulham in January with his place in Arteta’s squad out of reach, however the 31-year-old only made six appearances at Craven Cottage, failing to make an impact this campaign.

Arsenal are in need of defensive depth, after a double blow to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu back in March left Arteta with minimal options for quality cover, having a significant impact on the Gunners’ season.

Based upon Castagne’s statistics from this season, and Cedric’s last term at the Emirates, the Belgian could prove to be an upgrade in depth on the out-of-favour right-back.

As per FBref, the £67k-per-week ace averages better than the German-born Portugal international over a range of defensive attributes.

The Leicester defender averaged 2.41 tackles and 1.19 interceptions per 90 this season in the league, as well as winning 51% of his total duels with an average of 4.5 won per game.

Last season, the Arsenal right-back averaged 2.30 tackles and 0.97 interceptions per 90 as per FBref, and won 49% of his total duels with three won per game on average, showing that the Gunners could land a worthy upgrade in the newly relegated gem.

Another area that suggests that Castagne could be a good fit for north London, is his ability to get forward, most prominently identified through his average of progressive passes he received per 90 this campaign with 4.12, via FBref. It's that sort of performance level that's seen him dubbed a "constant threat" by journalist Josh Bunting.

Arsenal whiz Ben White scored 3.65 in this area this season, showing the ability the Belgian has in getting into attacking positions considering the success of the Englishman in the defensive flank role under Arteta.

With no moves made yet ahead of the window, only time will tell if rumours are to be believed, however, the Gunners could finally wave goodbye to Cedric to make way for the FA Cup-winning defender.

Liverpool have "verbally agreed" personal terms with Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, according to an exciting update from journalist Jacques Talbot.

Which midfielders are Liverpool signing?

The Reds have made it plainly clear that they are aiming to do some significant midfield surgery in the summer window, with constant links to new players emerging. On Thursday, Alexis Mac Allister was confirmed as a Liverpool player, with the Argentine completing a move from Brighton and coming in as a hugely exciting signing.

It would be a massive surprise if the Merseysiders stopped there, however, and Thuram is another player who has been tipped to make the switch to Anfield. The £14,000-a-week star enjoyed an excellent 2022/23 season with Nice, scoring twice and registering four assists in Ligue 1, as well as enjoying an 86.9% pass completion rate.

Paul Joyce has confirmed Liverpool see the 22-year-old as a summer target and a new update further suggests that that is the case.

Is Thuram joining Liverpool?

Taking to Twitter on Thursday evening, Talbot provided an encouraging update on Talbot's situation, saying personal terms have been agreed: "Understand personal terms have been verbally agreed between Liverpool and OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram."

This is great news for Liverpool, if true, with Thuram someone who perfectly fits the profile of what the Reds need in the middle of the park moving forward. Last season, they looked horribly one-paced in midfield, as likes of James Milner, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson looked their age, while Thiago, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were on the treatment table too often.

In Thuram, however, Liverpool would be bringing in a vibrant presence with an ability to cover ground with ease – he averaged 1.5 tackles per game in the league last term – and he could add so much life in that area of the pitch. The Frenchman has been hailed as a "proactive and tenacious tackler" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, as well as "fast and athletic", and these are the attributes that felt so lacking at Anfield in 2022/23.

If a move for Thuram can be sealed, and one more midfielder also come in alongside him and Mac Allister, Liverpool could be transformed next season, with the rest of their team already looking strong. The middle of the park is such an influential part of the side, as Fabinho, Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum showed at their peak, and this could be the new era there.

From a creative standpoint, the likes of Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold must have felt like Atlas, the Greek titan tasked with holding the world on his shoulders, at times during their respective Liverpool careers.

While Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino both boast more assists with Jurgen Klopp in the dugout, Alexander-Arnold's assist rate of 0.26 per 90 and his Scottish counterpart's rate of 0.24 per 90 are bettered – marginally – only by the world-class Egyptian's rate of 0.27 per 90, and Salah is one of the the most prolific in the business.

Auxillary support from the central midfield has been in short supply for Liverpool over the past several years, as Klopp's system is steeped on industrious midfielders churning the engine at full throttle while the wide players assume creative responsibility, with Robertson and Alexander-Arnold indeed taking precedence in this regard with their unceasing output.

And according to 90min, RB Leipzig midfielder Dani Olmo could rewrite this narrative, with Merseyside scouts – alongside those of Arsenal and Newcastle United – observing the Spaniard during a recent victory over Bayern Munich; a sum of €30m (£26m) could be enough to prise him away from Germany with just one year left on his contract.

How good is Dani Olmo?

Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League illuminates the need for change, and Klopp might be inclined to revisit the early success of Philippe Coutinho, who was sold to Barcelona for £146m to catalyse the ensuing illustrious exploits at Anfield.

Coutinho's assist rate of 0.25 per 90 under Klopp demonstrates how effective he was as the German's dynasty took flight, also scoring 37 goals from his 89 outings, hailed as a "genius" by his manager before departing for La Blaugrana.

Olmo, who has now racked up 122 appearances for Leipzig, has been in fine form this season and plundered five goals and ten assists from 17 starts across all competitions during an injury-hit campaign.

The 30-cap maestro ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of assists, the top 24% for progressive passes and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, described as a "magic" midfielder by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The 24-year-old possesses a similarly natural grace, an elegance on the pitch that complements an intellect that ensures he picks out the right pass at the right time, while also knowing the opportune moment to strike the ball himself.

Once dubbed an "outstanding footballer" by Julian Nagelsmann, Olmo is yet to quite reach the crest of the wave but has already exhibited highly promising facets to his game, and would be an exemplary signing for Klopp and co.

When Coutinho plied his trade under the German, Liverpool were chaotic and enthralling, but unbalanced, and while the 22/23 season has been a detrimental setback for the club, requisite moves will be made this summer to steady the ship.

And if the equilibrium can be reinstated before swooping for Olmo and injecting fresh potency into the Anfield centre, the Reds could unearth the formula for an incredible new wave of success.

Newcastle United reportedly now ‘want’ to sign Jules Kounde in what would be a club-record move this summer.

The Lowdown: January bid

As per Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the St. James’ Park faithful ‘offered’ Sevilla as much as €70m (£59.3m) to try and sign Kounde in the January transfer window, but a move never materialised.

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That would have been a club-record deal, and now it seems they are going to try their luck again in the summer.

The Latest: Wanted

According to Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the North East club still ‘want’ to sign Kounde, and are now a ‘rival’ to FC Barcelona for his signature.

However, the La Liga giants cannot afford to pay his €90m (£76.3m) release clause, which could well open the door for the Tynesiders.

The Verdict: Difficult

With teams like Barcelona weighing up a move for Kounde, there is no doubt that he will be a wanted man this summer, and so the Magpies may find it difficult to persuade him to join without any European football to offer.

Dubbed ‘world-class’ by former Tottenham Hotspur and England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson, the France international has played in the UEFA Champions League this season, and will be next term should Sevilla get a point in their last match of the league campaign.

Nonetheless, he is only 23 years of age, and may not feel like a move to the Toon suits him at this stage of his career.

In other news, find out which £36m-rated star NUFC could now sign for free here!

West Ham United have now set a ‘big focus’ on a ‘very smart signing’ for manager David Moyes this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyes summer reshuffle…

The Hammers boss, reportedly earmarking the signing of a new central defender, midfielder and striker in the next transfer window, will need substantial backing from club owners GSB.

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Head of recruitment Rob Newman is also tasked with negotiating deals to give Moyes exactly what he wants as the Scotsman aims to maintain West Ham’s status as a high-flying Premier League side.

Reaching the Europa League semi-finals this season represents a big achievement for the east Londoners and symbolises their remarkable rise, coming after they were fighting relegation just two years ago.

Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill is allegedly one man who Moyes believes could make a difference with the Clarets ace emerging as a target.

The Latest: Cudworth makes ‘big’ claim…

According to 90min reporter Toby Cudworth, while West Ham hold an interest in Leicester City playmaker Youri Tielemans, there is a ‘big’ focus on signing Brownhill this summer.

He explained (via Twitter):

“WHUFC are known admirers of Tielemans. Potential asking price of less than £40m will be attractive for many, many clubs… Still, big focus on Burnley’s Josh Brownhill at the moment – he’d be a very smart signing.”

The Verdict: Lodge bid?

The 26-year-old, who currently ranks as one of Burnley’s top five domestic performers going by average match rating, is a real all-rounder in midfield – according to WhoScored.

He has intercepted the second-highest amount of passes in Mike Jackson’s squad over 2021/2022 whilst also coming joint-second in terms of key passes made per 90 in the final third.

Effective defensively and further forward, his potential £15 million price tag seems fairly reasonable – leaving little wonder West Ham have now prioritised him as a target for Moyes.

Going by his value and quality, it appears the east Londoners have very little to lose by lodging a bid.

In other news: Sky Sports: GSB set for ‘powerful’ player move as they also eye ‘fantastic signing’ for West Ham, find out more here.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Leeds United winger Raphinha will ‘100%’ have his head turned already but trusts him to battle for Premier League survival at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Interest from Barcelona

The Brazilian still has two years remaining on his current contract with the Whites, but has been the subject of lots of speculation in recent weeks, with his future at Elland Road up the air, consistently linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona.

Jesse Marsch’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Arsenal last weekend, a scoreline that has now seen them fall into the drop zone following fellow relegation-battling Everton’s 2-1 victory against Leicester City.

The fixtures aren’t going to get any easier for Leeds as they are set to take on Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea on Wednesday night, and if they do end up making a return to the Championship next season, the club have got to accept that they will be vulnerable to losing some of their star players.

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The Latest: Raphinha’s losing it?

Luke Ayling was sent off for a frankly unprofessional lapse of common sense against the Gunners before Raphinha was booked for his complaints in the aftermath.

And Agbonlahor believes Ayling isn’t the only one losing his cool, as he told Football Insider ahead of Wednesday’s match.

“Raphinha looks like he is losing his head a little bit in games. I think his head has definitely been turned and 100 per cent in his mind he knows he’s leaving.

“But he will want to do his best for Leeds in the Premier League although you can definitely tell his head has been turned.

“It’s looking like a risky situation for Leeds and there’s every chance they go down themselves.”

The Verdict: Pivotal player

If the seven-cap international is to depart Yorkshire this summer, it would come as a huge blow to the American boss considering he’s been such a pivotal player for the club since arriving in a £17m move from Rennes in 2020.

During his two-year spell with Leeds, Raphinha has scored 16 goals and provided 12 assists in just 64 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, and he is currently the club’s best-rated player to have started at least one game.

If the Whites were to get relegated at the end of May, there’s no doubt that decisions would have to be made surrounding the long-term futures of players at the club, and whilst the hierarchy will surely want to keep their key man, it might be a difficult job trying to deny him the opportunity to go and join the Catalans.

In other news… a journalist has delivered his verdict on the future of one Leeds superstar.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has delivered his verdict on the future of attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho at Aston Villa. 

The lowdown: Star signing

The 29-year-old arrived at Villa Park in January on a short term deal from Barcelona until the end of the season and proved to be an instant hit in the Midlands.

Following a debut goal against Manchester United in a 2-2 draw, Coutinho has taken his tally to four goals and three assists in just 14 Premier League outings.

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Despite a dip in overall form for Villa in recent weeks, manager Steven Gerrard has been backed to pursue a move for the former Liverpool man…

The latest: Robinson endorses summer move

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Tottenham number one and current BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Robinson backed Villa to sign Coutinho on a permanent basis due to the good personal relationship with the manager.

“Villa have slipped away quietly this season. I was expecting them to finish in the top ten after the impact Steven Gerrard had in his first few weeks. They were playing really well.

“They are a work in progress though. You forget where they were when he took over. I still think he’ll want to sign Coutinho permanently. They have such a good relationship. I can see it happening.

“I think Coutinho, [Ollie] Watkins, John McGinn and Matty Cash will be the players Steven builds the team around next season. I can see them pushing on if they do.

“They have fallen away but I expect a big improvement next year.”

The verdict: Make it happen

Without a goal contribution in six outings, there has been an undoubted drop off since a scintillating introduction to life as a Villan for Coutinho.

However, boasting an impressive trophy cabinet with 11 major accolades from spells at the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, opportunities to sign a player of the 68-cap Brazilian’s calibre don’t present themselves that often.

With a reported option to buy standing at £33million (Sky Sports), the Aston Villa hierarchy should be willing to sanction the permanent move for the skilful forward once described as possessing ‘magical powers’ by Roberto Firmino as Gerrard looks to build a squad ready to challenge the top half of the table next season.

In other news, journalist urges Aston Villa to focus on key position. Read more here.