Category Uncategorized

Arsenal would be ‘willing to pay’ £56m to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Mykhaylo Mudryk in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Mudryk wants to join

Premier League side Newcastle, with Sevilla, Ajax and Bayer Leverkusen, have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, creating competition for the Gunners who are believed to have recently held talks.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Igor Jovicevic’s side have now increased their asking price from €40-45m (£34-39m) to €60-65m (£52-56m), though this isn’t said to have put Edu off his target.

CBS’ Ben Jacobs also claimed that the winger told him that he ‘couldn’t say no’ to moving to the Emirates should he be given the opportunity.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Asked by GiveMeSport whether Arsenal would be happy to pay the required fee to land Mudryk given how much financial demands are constantly increasing in football, Jones said:

“I think they would, yeah. And I think they know that they’ve got to.

“So, we think €65 million (£56m) is traditionally a lot of money in football, but it’s actually becoming a reasonable figure in the transfer market for the players with a high ceiling. And I think that that is an amount that Arsenal will be willing to pay.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

Mudryk has been dubbed the ‘Ukrainian Neymar’ by Jacek Kulig, and Mikel Arteta bringing him to England is a no-brainer given his impressive record in the final third.

The 5 foot 7 dynamo has registered 16 assists and scored ten goals in 41 appearances for Shakhtar, and is a versatile individual with the ability to operate in midfield as well as on both flanks (Transfermarkt).

Emile Smith-Rowe being sidelined with a long-term injury has highlighted Arsenal’s lack of options out wide so Mudryk would be a fantastic addition in the capital.

Liverpool have held an “internal discussion” regarding the possibility of submitting an offer for Borussia Monchengladbach star Manu Kone, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Manu Kone?

Kone is a central midfielder who arrived at the Borussia Park from Toulouse back in 2021 and he’s since gone on to become a regular feature, clocking up a total of 60 appearances to date. Despite his contract not expiring for another two years, he was Gerardo Seoane’s top-performing defensive player last season so has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs revealed that the 22-year-old is a player that is “on the list” of targets for FSG, with The Guardian further reporting that the Reds are pushing to make him their next signing after Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister.

The Frenchman further excited supporters and sparked rumours of a switch when he was pictured with Nice’s Khephren Thuram, who the Merseyside outfit have also been heavily linked with, and if the following update is to be believed, it sounds like the duo could both soon be making their way to the Premier League.

Are Liverpool signing Kone?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Liverpool have been in talks with the representatives of Kone and Thuram while pondering official approaches, with FSG telling both players' clubs they may make a move after signing Mac Allister:

“Liverpool have been in direct contact with both Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram agents again this week. Internal discussion taking place over official proposals. Liverpool asked for some time to close in on Mac Allister deal then decide on new midfielders.”

Should FSG submit a bid for Kone?

Liverpool are in desperate need of new central players following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Arthur Melo, and having been dubbed a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone is definitely a candidate worth testing the waters for in an attempt to bring him to Merseyside.

The Classico client, who earns only £5k-per-week, is naturally stronger in the defensive aspect of his game having won 39 tackles throughout the previous campaign which was higher than any of his teammates, as per FBRef.

The France U21 international, however, can pose a threat going forward too, as he ranks in the 96th percentile for dribbles by central midfielders and did pitch in last term by scoring one goal and providing the same number of assists, so he’s an extremely well-rounded player and one that would only excel further under the guidance of Klopp.

Sheffield Wednesday duo George Byers and Mark McGuinness may return from injury against Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Injury absence

Central midfielder Byers was starting to establish himself in Darren Moore’s side, scoring three goals in five League One starts. However, the 26-year-old has been missing for the last three league fixtures with a foot problem.

Meanwhile, defender McGuinness, who arrived on loan in the summer, has been absent in the previous four third-tier fixtures with a muscle strain.

The Latest: Back vs Cheltenham?

Yorkshire Live reporter Oliver Jones relayed an injury update from Moore ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Cheltenham.

He said that Byers and McGuinness ‘both might return against the Robins’, in what would be a timely boost following the midweek defeat to Plymouth.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Both Byers and McGuinness were starting to consolidate their place in Moore’s first-choice XI prior to their respective injuries and are rated in Wednesday’s top four 2022/23 performers, as per SofaScore.

Therefore, it would be welcome news if they were to return at Hillsborough tomorrow. McGuinness’ return could be especially timely with concern to defender Reece James in the week, while forward Mallik Wilks also missed the defeat to Plymouth Argyle with a hamstring problem.

Should James miss out, then McGuinness may slot straight back into the side, meaning Moore could have some late calls to make.

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek desperately needs to recapture his excellent past form to aid the Hammers’ struggles, according to journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Soucek suffers dip

The Czech has been a superb signing for the east Londoners overall, arriving from Slavia Prague in 2020 and becoming a hugely influential figure. Declan Rice has called him ‘unbelievable’ in the past, such is his quality.

That being said, Soucek’s performances of late have been a far cry from his former displays, with only one goal coming his way so far this season, and his all-round ability flattering to deceive.

It has undoubtedly played a negative role in West Ham sitting 18th in the Premier League table, in what has been a poor start to the campaign.

The Latest: Journalist makes plea

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown said Soucek needs to get back to his best in order to help the Hammers get over this current slump:

“He really needs to start producing. Because they didn’t sign a major name in his position, I don’t think his position is too under threat now at West Ham.

“Maybe that’s a bit too cosy and safe for him, but he certainly needs to start performing.”

The Verdict: He will be back

All footballers are only human, so Soucek’s noticeable dip is something that can happen to anyone and it shouldn’t lead to overreactions from supporters.

There is no doubt that the 27-year-old is a shadow of the player who netted 10 league goals in 2020/21, however, with opponents struggling to handle his physicality and aerial dominance.

Soucek is too good a player not to return to his peak level at some point – David Moyes will certainly be hoping it is soon, though, as pressure grows on him by the week.

Tottenham Hotspur central midfielder Harry Winks is set to depart north London in the coming days.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, Fabrizio Romano relayed the comments of Carlo Osti, in which the Sampdoria director confirmed that the Serie A side have now reached an agreement with both Spurs and the 26-year-old midfielder ahead of the former England international joining on a season-long loan.

In his post, the transfer insider said: “Sampdoria director Osti confirms: ‘We have reached an agreement to sign Harry Winks from Tottenham, so we’re going to sign contracts soon.’ Winks will join Sampdoria from Spurs on a loan deal.”

Great news for Conte

Considering just how little Winks has featured for Tottenham since Antonio Conte’s arrival at the club last November, coupled with the fact that the 26-year-old’s departure could allow Fabio Paratici to bring in one of his own replacements for the 10-cap international, the news that the midfielder is now set to join Sampdoria is undoubtedly great news for the Italian manager.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-paratici-conte-levy-gossip-more” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and so much more!”]

Indeed, following Conte’s appointment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last year, the £13.5m-rated Englishman has been selected from the off in just eight Premier League fixtures, in addition to making a further nine appearances from the bench – playing a total of 845 minutes of league football under the 52-year-old manager.

And, so far this season, Winks is yet to be included in a single matchday squad for Spurs, with the likes of Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur all very much appearing to be ahead of the Tottenham academy graduate in Conte’s central midfield pecking order.

Furthermore, with it being known that the Italian coach is hoping to add a new attack-minded midfielder to his ranks ahead of the closure of the transfer window this week – with Nicolo Zaniolo, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruslan Malinovskyi all said to be of interest – moving the £50k-per-week Winks on may provide Paratici with a clear run to move for his targets.

As such, considering his current standing within the Spurs squad, his considerable weekly wage and the fact Conte is hoping to land one of his own targets in the 26-year-old’s position, Romano relaying that Winks does indeed now appear to be moving onto pastures new in the coming days is certain to be fantastic news for the 52-year-old manager.

LancsLive journalist Alex James has shared what he knows about Burnley’s pursuit of Manchester City striker Liam Delap.

The Lowdown: Plenty of interest

The highly-rated 19-year-old has worked his way up through the ranks at the Etihad, but Pep Guardiola’s side now want to send him out on loan to further his development and gain some valuable first-team experience.

Several clubs have been linked with a move for the forward, including Southampton and Newcastle United, but reports suggested that both approaches had been turned down, with City only willing to let him leave on a temporary basis rather than permanently.

It’s believed that the top-flight giants would prefer their starlet – who Guardiola called ‘special’ – to have a loan in the Championship, with both the Clarets and Stoke City name-checked as potential suitors.

The Latest: Delap latest

Taking to Twitter, James insisted that Burnley are likely to still be in search of a new attacker, and said they could even be ‘favourites’ for Delap’s signature. He wrote:

“Delap an interesting one as you sense he’s likely to end up on loan in the Championship and on the face of it Burnley would be favourites given style, Kompany etc. Will see what if I can find out a bit more detail this week. For me, Burnley still need a striker.”

The Verdict: Game-changing signing for Burnley

Delap is a very sought-after player, and the proof is in the pudding given he managed to make ten goal contributions in the same number of Premier League 2 games last term, via Transfermarkt, missing some of the season through injury.

Trying to fend off competitors for his services won’t be an easy job, but Vincent Kompany already has existing connections to City from his time at the club, so this could play a significant role in any possible deal getting finalised.

If Burnley were to be the ones to land him, it would be a massive coup for the Clarets and a signing that could be enough to help take them back up to the top-flight.

Talks are ‘ongoing’ in West Ham United’s pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt ace Filip Kostic, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Interest in Kostic

According to Sky Sports, the 29-year-old has already turned down two offers from clubs playing in the Champions League.

However, it is believed that the Serbia international would consider a move to the London Stadium if an agreement is reached.

Kostic is represented by the World Soccer Agency (WSA) – the same agency that looks after new Hammers signing Gianluca Scamacca.

As a result, founders Alessandro Lucci and Alessio Ceccarelli are trying to broker a deal between the clubs and also with the player, with a first bid reportedly made earlier this week.

The Latest: Taylor’s news

Taylor has shared an update on West Ham’s progression with the Kostic deal.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist revealed the Hammers are a few million short:

“West Ham continue to work on Filip Kostić deal but will have to raise opening £12.8m offer to £16m in order to strike agreement. Talks ongoing on personal terms.”

The Verdict: Great signing

When looking at the left midfielder’s underlying stats, it is easy to see why David Moyes is so keen on wrapping up a deal for the player as soon as possible.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Kostic ranks in the 99th percentile for shots, assists, expected assists and shot-creating actions.

Former Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter was extremely complimentary of the 29-year-old, saying he shows “outstanding qualities on the field and off it”, making him a fantastic addition to any squad.

If the Irons are able to secure a deal for Kostic in the coming weeks, this could be a very shrewd signing for Moyes’ side.

Celtic are reportedly set to secure a free transfer for Australian midfielder Aaron Mooy.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post from journalist Mike McGrath, the midfielder is about to “disappoint a host of Championship clubs to secure a dream move” to Celtic.

He then added that “talks have progressed” over the potential deal that would see the 31-year-old make a move to Parkhead this summer.

After making a combined total of 152 appearances for Huddersfield Town and Brighton & Hove Albion, in which he scored 13 goals and delivered 17 assists, the midfielder made a move to China and joined Shanghai Port back in 2020.

Since then, Mooy has found the net six times and supplied three assists in 31 appearances for the Chinese club, where he was picking up a weekly wage of £52k-per-week.

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Securing a free transfer for the former Huddersfield star would not only be a great deal for the Hoops from a financial point of view, but also for many footballing reasons as well.

Firstly, having seen the likes of Tom Rogic, Nir Bitton and Ismaila Soro wave goodbye to the Parkhead club in recent weeks, this highlights the need for Celtic to bring a new midfielder in.

Then, with Mooy’s clear knack for being an attacking nuisance in front of goal, this shows what he’d be able to offer the team.

Additionally, having made a decent number of appearances for Australia under the management of Ange Postecoglou, this will give him an idea of what the Bhoys manager will want from him on the pitch, which could make it easier for the player to settle in at Celtic Park.

Bearing in mind how McGrath mentioned that numerous clubs in the Championship were reportedly after Mooy’s signature, this also shows what a great bit of business it could be from the Hoops and why seeing him at Parkhead will surely have Postecoglou buzzing.

Hailed as an “extraordinary” player by David Wagner, the Australian would surely add some serious quality to Celtic’s squad and strengthen their midfield.

If the Bhoys can wrap up this reported deal for the 31-year-old as soon as possible, this will then give them the opportunity to focus on other potential deals they may want to secure before the summer window ends.

AND in other news: Postecoglou could unearth the next Wanyama with Celtic bid for “complete” £5.5m target

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Liverpool to come to a ‘compromise’ when it comes to arranging a new contract with Mohamed Salah.

The Lowdown: Salah confirms short-term future

The 30-year-old has just 12 months remaining on his current contract at Anfield, but his future on Merseyside has been up in the air in recent weeks after failing to agree a new deal with the club.

The striker had been linked with a move away from the Premier League, amid interest from Barcelona, but the player himself confirmed at the end of May that he would remain with the Reds for next season at least, regardless of the whether any agreement was reached between now and the start of the new campaign.

It was later reported by The Telegraph‘s Chris Bascombe just this week that the top-flight giants remain confident that they can convince the Egyptian to put pen to paper on a long-term contract.

The Latest: Campbell’s contract claim

Reacting to that news in a chat with Football Insider, Campbell said:

“I don’t think it will be a matter of bowing to his demands.

“Both parties have to come to a compromise. They need to conclude on a deal that works for everyone.

“Salah is a big-time player, a marquee player for Liverpool. He was brilliant last season.

“I don’t see it being a problem. I truly believe they will come to an agreement.

“Here is the funny thing, if they don’t come to an agreement and his contract expires, it doesn’t mean he will leave the club.

“At that point, everyone is in the same boat. There would be a different negotiation to be had at that stage. I wouldn’t rule that one out.”

The Verdict: New deal is a priority

After securing the signing of Darwin Nunez, Liverpool’s priority has now surely got to be negotiating a fresh deal for Salah, who is a huge reason as to why the club have enjoyed so much success over the years.

Last season alone, the 83-cap international was the Premier League’s joint-top goalscorer, sharing the Golden Boot award with Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min.

With his contract set to expire next summer, the Reds will be keen to tie Salah down as soon as possible to ensure that their star man isn’t able to leave Anfield a free agent a year from now.

In other news… Sadio Mane is now ‘on the verge’ of completing his move to Bayern Munich after an update from Sky Sports News.

Fabio Paratici is closing in on a deal to bring Alessandro Bastoni to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Corriere della Sera (via Sport Witness), who claim that, following Ivan Perisic’s move from Inter Milan to Spurs, there is now a good chance the 23-year-old defender follows the Croatia international to north London.

Further reports also claim that the Tottenham sporting director has sent unmistakable signals of intent to the Serie A side regarding a £54m deal for the Italy international, while Alasdair Gold recently revealed that Spurs “believe that they’ll be able to sort out wages and the fee for Bastoni” in the coming weeks.

“Heir to Jan Vertonghen”

Considering just how exciting a talent Bastoni undoubtedly is, in addition to it being reported that the signing of a new ball-playing left-footed centre-back is one of Antonio Conte’s priority targets in the summer transfer window, should Paratici go on to secure a deal for the Inter Milan starlet ahead of the club’s 2022/23 campaign it would certainly represent something of a huge coup for Spurs.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £60m-rated defender ranks in the top 15% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for pressures per 90, in addition to the top 14% for passes attempted, the top 25% for passes completed, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 11% for progressive carries, the top 22% for dribbles completed and the top 3% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

As such, it is easy to understand why Gold recently claimed that Spurs see the £122k-per-week talent as the “heir to Jan Vertonghen,” as the 23-year-old’s ability with the ball at his feet sees FBref rank him amongst some of the most prestigious ball-playing defenders in European football, such as Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano and Girondins de Bordeaux starlet Anel Ahmedhodzic.

However, with the Italian still appearing to have doubts as to whether this summer is the right time to make a move to the Premier League, it would seem as if Paratici still has a job on his hands to convince Bastoni that Tottenham is the right club for him – although, considering the centre-back’s ability, these efforts will be more than worth it if his transfer is eventually agreed.

AND in other news: Paratici can seal “complete” Spurs signing in £68m bid for Van Dijk’s worst nightmare