Leeds United could move for Sporting Lisbon’s Gonzalo Plata, according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo. 

The lowdown

Plata spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Real Valladolid in Spain’s second tier, helping them to finish second and win promotion back to La Liga.

The 21-year-old is predominantly a right winger, although he is also capable of playing on the left.

It may be significant that his agency Wasserman also represents Leeds players Crysencio Summerville and Adam Forshaw.

The Whites are seemingly set to finalise their second signing of the summer in Rasmus Kristensen, and Plata may be their next target.

The latest

Real Valladolid, whose club president is Brazil legend and Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldo, would like to sign Plata permanently.

They have the option to do so for €10m (£8.5m) but are hoping they can snap up him for a reduced fee. Sporting have thus far held firm and refused to entertain a cut-price sale.

Leeds are said to be ‘attentive’ to the situation and could see the stand-off as an opportunity to step up their interest in the 21-year-old.

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The verdict

Plata started 23 La Liga 2 games last season, scoring six goals and providing five assists. He found the net or set up a team-mate more than once every two matches (171 minutes, to be precise), a very respectable record.

Even though he is still quite young, he has amassed 27 senior caps for Ecuador and notched nine goal contributions for his nation.

After helping his country reach the semi-finals of the Under-20 World Cup in 2019, he was awarded the tournament’s Bronze Ball.

However, given that he was playing his football in the Spanish second tier in recent months, you’d imagine that he would initially be a rotational option at Leeds rather than a consistent starter.

In other news, read this big Lewis O’Brien transfer claim

Brighton & Hove Albion assistant manager Billy Reid has delivered a promising verdict on what could be to come from Celtic midfielder James McCarthy.

The lowdown: First-year struggles

Having amassed 272 Premier League appearances south of the border across spells with Everton and Crystal Palace, the capture of McCarthy appeared to be a masterstroke from Ange Postecoglou as a first signing.

However, the 31-year-old Republic of Ireland international struggled for consistent form in the first of a four year deal at Celtic Park.

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Despite often being overlooked in favour of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley, McCarthy has been backed to turn his fortunes around in Glasgow…

The latest: Reid keeps the faith

As quoted by the Daily Record, Reid, the man who gave the 42-cap ace his senior debut for Hibernian when aged just 15, suggested that the experienced midfielder has adapted to do the ‘dirty’ work next season.

The 58-year-old Glasgow born coach said: “There is a role for James at Celtic. He’s not the box-to-box player he was, he’s adapted to become a sitting midfielder where he can do the dirty side. Keeping it simple as a possession-based player, winning the ball back and being that central cog is what he’s so good at.

“There is stiff competition but it doesn’t matter what age you are, age is not a barrier. I look at Mark Noble who I saw when we played West Ham last week, he’s still at the top despite being 35 years old. Scott Brown was being written off every season after he turned 30 but look at the size of his character to show people they are wrong. He always came back stronger.

“Players are always being tested and this is another test for James. I’m just hoping that next season marks a positive turnaround for him as it’s probably fair to say that the last few years have not been where James wanted things to be.”

The verdict: More to come

During the successful 2021/22 campaign, McCarthy made only 22 appearances across all competitions despite remaining fit and available for the most part.

Eight of those outings came in a deeper-lying role, a position Reid has mooted that could be the future for the experienced star ,who was once hailed as ‘real class’ by Roy Hodgson during his time at Crystal Palace.

Following the departure of Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic, Ange Postecoglou may well call upon the services of a McCarthy with plenty to prove more frequently as the Hoops add participation in the Champions League to an already packed fixture schedule.

In other news, Celtic have been linked with another midfield signing. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch is set for his first transfer window in charge of the club this summer after keeping the team in the top-flight.

He replaced Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road and secured another season in the Premier League by beating Brentford 2-1 on the final day of the campaign, relegating Burnley in the process.

The Lillywhites boss will now have his first opportunity to bring his own players to the club as he starts to shape the team that he wants to build.

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One player who has already been linked with a move to Yorkshire is RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams. MLS insider Tom Bogert has claimed that Leeds will be in for the midfielder in the coming months.

His own Joshua Kimmich

German manager Ralf Rangnick, most recently of Manchester United, previously compared the American international to the Bayern Munich star. He said:

“Like Joshua (Kimmich), Tyler has an unbelievable will to win. He wants to win every match and every training game. He wants to improve and listens. He’s never satisfied. The sky is the limit.”

Adams responded to these comments by saying: “It’s an honor to be compared with one of the best players in Europe. I’ve known Ralf [Rangnick] for some time now, and I highly regard his opinion because he’s an extraordinary expert in football. So, I’m flattered by his remarks.”

Kimmich has played 299 games for Bayern and won seven Bundesliga titles and the Champions League. He is also valued at £76.50m by Transfermarkt and this illustrates why it was a huge comparison for Rangnick to make at the time.

That is not to say that Adams will go on to be as good as the German international, or achieve as much, but he can be Leeds’ own version of him for where they are in the football food chain.

The Leipzig man already has four Bundesliga seasons under his belt by the age of 23 and has showcased his bite in midfield as well as his versatility. Like Kimmich, he can play at right-back and in central midfield and has made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game on average throughout his career.

He is a young player with the potential to improve and a mentality comparable with a decorated midfield star and that is why Leeds must sign him this summer.

The machine can be an excellent addition to the team with his ability to win the ball back in the middle of the park and his scope to develop further in the years to come.

AND in other news, Huge transfer twist emerges that will have Leeds United supporters buzzing…

According to French outlet Telefoot, Tottenham Hotspur are now in negotiations with an unnamed Spanish club over a deal for Tanguy Ndombele, who looks highly likely to leave the Premier League giants this summer.

The Lowdown: Ndombele’s Lyon return

The midfielder first arrived in N17 back in 2019 from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, for what was at the time a club-record fee of £63m. Aafter a disappointing start to the 2021/22 campaign with the Lilywhites, the 25-year-old rejoined his former club in January for the remainder of the season.

Included as part of that deal was an option to buy, but Peter Bosz’s side have made the decision not to take the offer up, meaning that the maestro has returned to Spurs, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he will be staying put.

Before making the switch back to his home nation, it was reported by L’Equipe that whilst Roma and Napoli were interested in the starlet, a move to Spain could well be next on the agenda, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid being viewed as potential future destinations.

The Latest: Unnamed club in negotiations

In a new article published by French outlet Telefoot (via The Mirror), it’s claimed that an ‘unnamed’ Spanish club are ‘already in negotiations’ with Spurs over a possible deal for Ndombele, with a departure from north London seeming ‘imminent’.

The source goes on to state that it is yet ‘unclear’ whether the seven-cap international would be allowed to leave Tottenham on a temporary basis again.

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The Verdict: Time to sell

During his recent short stint with Lyon, Ndombele made 11 appearances in Ligue 1 and provided two assists, as per Transfermarkt, but all in all, it was a disappointing season for the French giants, who only managed to secure an eighth-place finish.

The 5 foot 11 creative, who was once dubbed a “phenomenal” player by former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho, has majorly fallen down the pecking order since Antonio Conte arrived in the capital, having only played 287 minutes of football across all competitions before his loan move, so it comes as no surprise to see that he is likely to leave the club during the upcoming transfer window.

The Italian has already started his summer squad revamp with free transfer moves for Ivan Perisic and presumably soon Fraser Forster, but eventually he’s going to need to splash some cash, and the club must surely be prioritising a permanent deal to get some funds back for Ndombele.

In other news… Conte is reportedly now ready to cash in on a 25 y/o first-team star this summer.

Wolves loanee Francisco Trincao is unlikely to remain at Molineux beyond this summer, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Trincao disappoints on loan

The Portuguese forward moved to the Black County on loan from Barcelona last summer, looking to enjoy regular football and become a key part of Bruno Lage’s plans.

However, he struggled to make an impact throughout the 2021/22 campaign, scoring just twice in 28 Premier League appearances and registering only one assist.

There is the £25m option of Wolves signing the 22-year-old permanently this summer, but that doesn’t appear likely to be triggered.

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The Latest: Summer exit expected

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor claimed that Wolves are not interested in keeping hold of Trincao, who could be set for a return to his homeland. The journalist outlined:

“I don’t think Wolves are going to exercise their option to buy. He’s a player with huge potential and has shown in glimpses that he’s got a lot of quality, but it’s not really worked out for one reason or another.

“It looks like he could go to Sporting on loan, but Lage seemed to suggest the other day that no decision has been made yet, but I expect him not to be signed permanently. The figure’s £25 million, which is obviously quite substantial.”

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The Verdict: Correct call by Wolves

While Trincao is a talented young player – former Wolves ace Dave Edwards recently dubbed him “terrific” – he did nowhere near enough this season to suggest that he is worth a £25m investment.

His end product was sorely lacking all too often, as highlighted by his aforementioned statistics, while his overall performances saw him ranked 15th in WhoScored’s metrics for the campaign. Also, Lage also has decent wide options already in the squad such as Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence.

The money which would have been spent on Trincao can instead go towards a new attacking recruit this summer – something that Wolves badly need after a paltry return of 38 top-flight goals from as many games this season.

In other news, Tim Spiers has dropped a key Wolves update. Read more here.

An update has emerged regarding Rangers youngster Josh McPake and his future at Ibrox ahead of the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has revealed that the winger is being eyed up by a number of teams south of the border after a loan spell in the fourth tier of English football.

The reporter tweeted: “Understand Rangers youngster Josh McPake is the subject of interest from several League Two sides. Carlisle United and Hartlepool United are keen on the attacker, who’s just finished his loan spell at Tranmere Rovers.”

Ross Wilson will be delighted

Rangers’ sporting director Ross Wilson will be left delighted by this claim, as it suggests that he will be able to cash in on the attacker in the coming months.

The youngster has spent the last two seasons on loan in League Two but failed to show that he has the potential to come back and make an impact in the first-team at Rangers.

In the 2020/21 campaign, he scored four goals and failed to provide a single assist in 23 outings for Harrogate Town. He also lost 56% of his duels as he struggled to deal with the physicality of the game, although that was to be expected as it was the then-teenager’s first experience of regular senior football.

However, he did not use that season to improve, as he left a lot to be desired again in 2021/22. In 14 League Two appearances for Tranmere, he managed one goal and zero assists whilst losing 62% of his individual battles.

These statistics indicate that McPake regressed after a year of experience in the English fourth tier, and this is a worry in relation to his future at Ibrox. He has not shown that he is on the right path in his development and there is little to suggest that he is a player who Gio van Bronckhorst will want to call upon any time soon.

Therefore, now is the right time – whilst his stock is seemingly high amongst League Two clubs – to cash in on him whilst the Gers still can.

At the age of 20, clubs may want to take a punt on him in case he is able to improve over time, but his statistics in his career so far are less than encouraging with respect to the chances of him making the first-team in Glasgow.

Wilson will now be delighted to learn of the interest in McPake’s services, as he can rake in a fee for the underperforming youngster and use the money to bring in another young prospect or invest it in another area of the club.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Lundstram: Wilson must land Rangers deal for “fabulous” £28k-p/w maestro…

Finance expert Dr Dan Plumley has been left reacting to some ‘very disappointing’ news that he has now heard involving Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Ohio Cup cancelled

As per The Daily Mail, the proposed Ohio Cup pre-season tournament, in which the St James’ Park club were set to take part, has been cancelled by the organisers without much explanation.

The Magpies, who were due to play Wolves and two teams from La Liga – thought to be Villarreal and Valencia – were left fuming by the cancellation at such short notice, which has now left them scrambling over their pre-season plans.

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The Latest: Plumley reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Plumley has given his reaction to the news, claiming that it is ‘very disappointing’ and a ‘blow’ for Newcastle to miss out on the cash windfall which would have stemmed from their participation in the Ohio Cup.

He stated: “It is a blow. They aren’t going to close the gap on the top four any time soon but they are trying to diversify and grow in other areas to boost their revenue and bridge the gap.

“This is really important for clubs like Newcastle who are going to be on the threshold of smashing the glass ceiling in future years.

“It might not be in the 20s or 30s of millions but it could be, maybe, £10m or so.

“A lot of planning and operation stuff goes into it. There is strategy and branding all tied into this. To have it cancelled without much in the way of the reason is very disappointing.

“They will now have to reset their planning, so you can understand the reaction.”

The Verdict: Not ideal

The cancellation of the Ohio Cup is certainly not ideal for Newcastle, even if it is just £10m or so that they have lost from its cancellation.

Eddie Howe and his squad would have already had plans in place for the trip, and they could have tested themselves against a Wolves side who finished above them in the Premier League table; and possibly Villarreal, who reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Nonetheless, they will now have to make new summer plans quickly, as they look to prepare themselves in the best possible way for what could be a big season ahead at St James’ Park.

In other news, one player is allegedly ‘close’ to joining NUFC

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans for the upcoming transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sunday Mirror (5/6, page 69), the Black Cats are considering a swoop to sign out-of-contract shot-stopper John Ruddy in the coming weeks.

The report claims that they are weighing up a move for the Englishman after Premier League side Wolves decided to release the veteran instead of offering him a new deal.

Alex Neil would love him

Kristjaan Speakman is plotting a move for the one-cap England international and must bring the experienced goalkeeper to the Stadium of Light as Neil would love him next season.

Ruddy is vastly experienced in the top two divisions of English football and knows exactly what it takes to win promotion out of the Championship.

He has been promoted to the Premier League as a title-winner (with Wolves) and twice with Norwich as a runner-up and then a play-off winner. This shows that he is no stranger to getting out of the second tier and he can bring invaluable experience to the younger members of the squad.

In his career to date, the 35-year-old has played 163 Championship matches and kept 58 clean sheets. He has also featured in 122 top-flight games and kept 27 shutouts, playing in both divisions for Wolves and the Canaries.

Upon the confirmation of his exit from the Molineux stadium, Wolves reporter Tim Spiers heaped praise on Ruddy as he tweeted: “A model professional, a massive character in the dressing room and an excellent goalkeeper.”

This highlights what he can offer to Sunderland off the pitch as he can be a huge influence on young Anthony Patterson next season. It would be an excellent opportunity for the Black Cats youngster to have a player of Ruddy’s professionalism, experience, and quality in the building as he can learn from him in training.

The 6 foot 3 colossus is also no stranger to Neil as they worked together at Carrow Road. Ruddy played 76 times for the Scot in Norfolk, including in a 2-0 play-off final win over Middlesbrough at Wembley in 2015, and this means that they already have a pre-existing relationship.

Sunderland’s head coach would, therefore, love to have him at the Stadium of Light next season for the reasons stated above and because he already knows what he would be getting from the shot-stopper.

AND in other news, Speakman plotting Sunderland bid for 6 ft 3 “Rolls-Royce”, he can get SoL rocking…

According to reliable journalist Tom Barclay, Southampton transfer target Liam Delap would ‘definitely’ fit the profile of player that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl might be tempted to sign during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Delap profiled

The 19-year-old first joined the academy at Manchester City as a scholar three years ago and has worked his way up through the ranks at the club, which saw him rewarded with his first-team debut in the Sky Blues’ 2-1 Carabao Cup victory against Bournemouth in September 2020.

The forward put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension with the Etihad Stadium outfit last summer, but he has recently been touted with a move away from the Premier League champions in a bid to get some much-needed game-time and further his development.

In a recent report from The Sun, it’s claimed that the teenager is on Southampton’s shortlist as they desperately look to bolster their attacking ranks; and after raiding Chelsea’s academy to sign Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu last year, the Saints have been backed to pull off a similar move by tempting Delap into a south coast switch in the coming months.

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The Latest: Barclay backs Southampton links with Delap

Barclay has suggested that Delap could be the perfect fit for Hasenhuttl’s plans at Southampton, given the Saints’ previous raids for young prospects from the Premier League’s top brass.

Wnd when asked whether he thought he could see any parallels in their swoops for the aforementioned ex-Chelsea youngsters, he told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve targeted Chelsea’s academy in recent history with great success, with obviously Livramento being the standout one, Broja as well.

“Dynel Simeu, who went on loan to Carlisle and did well, although he’s not been as much of a standout player; he was signed more for the B team but is another player they signed from that club’s academy.

“And I think we’ve talked about Tino Anjorin as well as another possible target in the future. So, they’ve looked at that area.”

The Verdict: Perfect replacement for Long

With veteran striker Shane Long set to depart St Mary’s upon the expiry of his contract next month, Delap could be viewed as the ideal candidate to take the Irishman’s place in the squad, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Winchester-born talent, who was once dubbed a “special” player by City manager Pep Guardiola, has been in excellent form in Premier League 2 this season. With eight goals and two assists in just ten appearances at that level, as per Transfermarkt, he has shown just how prolific he can be in the final third regardless of his age.

After a disappointing 15th-place finish in the top flight this season, the possible addition of someone like Delap up top could be just what Southampton need if they are to start making a serious push towards a top-ten finish next time around.

In other news… a talkSPORT reporter has made this huge Saints transfer claim involving one of their summer targets

A Sunderland development has emerged regarding Ross Stewart heading into the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Northern Echo, the Black Cats are set to make a contract offer to the centre-forward as they attempt to keep him at the Stadium of Light.

Middlesbrough and Rangers have been linked with a swoop for the Scotland international, and the Wearside club are now ready to ward off interest by extending his current terms.

On that note, Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman hinted at potential deals for existing members of the squad as he said: “From our contractual status and planning, we have got players that are on contracts where it’s Sunderland’s decision what happens to those players to a certain degree.

“We are constantly negotiating with players. You want happy players in the club to obviously then perform but ultimately we are putting ourselves in position where we are protecting the club. We are looking after the players and therefore everyone is happy.”

Supporters will be delighted

The supporters will surely be delighted by the prospect of Stewart signing a new deal, as keeping him at the Stadium of Light would be a major boost for Alex Neil.

Sunderland will need to keep their best players to give them the best chance of being able to compete in the Championship next season, and the striker certainly falls into that category.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the Scot scored a whopping 26 goals in 49 games for the Black Cats in League One. He has proven that he can find the net on a consistent basis and is the biggest goal threat in the team by some distance.

Nathan Broadhead’s tally of 10 goals was the next highest in the squad and he has now returned to Everton following the end of his loan deal, illustrating how important Stewart’s goals will be to Sunderland next term.

It is also worth mentioning that the 25-year-old started all 46 games in the regular season and then the three play-off matches for the club. This proves that he is reliable in terms of his availability as well as his goalscoring, and this will be important in another gruelling 46-game season.

Stewart has proven that he can withstand a high volume of matches without breaking down due to injury, and Neil would be buzzing if he can keep hold of a player he can rely upon at the top end of the pitch.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Wright: Neil can land “perfect” Sunderland signing with deal for “superb” brute…