Aston Villa are believed to have made an offer for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer, with the Englishman the subject of interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Midlands outfit – as well as West Ham United – have submitted offers for the 26-year-old in the current window, although the player seemingly ‘has his heart set’ on joining champions, Manchester City.

The report suggests that the 23-cap gem will complete his move to the Etihad in the ‘coming weeks’, with the fee expected to be in the region of around £50m.

That follows recent speculation that Pep Guardiola’s side view the Yorkshire-born ace as a potential long-term replacement to Fernandinho, with the veteran Brazilian set to depart the club this summer.

McGinn replacement

Although the indications are that Phillips is on his way to the title winners, Steven Gerrard and co will no doubt retain hope that they can swoop in if the situation changes, with the £38k-per-week warrior seemingly the solution in their hunt to land a new midfielder this summer.

That search for an additional midfield recruit – having already signed highly-rated Frenchman, Boubacar Kamara – comes amid suggestions that Gerrard could be willing to cash in on regular starter John McGinn, with the Liverpool legend said to be ‘not totally convinced’ by the Scotland international.

Should the 27-year-old – who has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur – be on his way this summer, Gerrard will be in need of another dynamic, midfield presence to fill the void, with the Leeds ace seemingly the man for the job.

Dubbed a “machine” by current Everton boss Frank Lampard, the £45m-rated man put himself firmly on the map at last summer’s European Championship, earning praise from former Three Lions manager Fabio Capello who dubbed him “the best modern midfielder” that he has seen.

That breakthrough tournament – which saw the defensive-minded talent feature in all seven games for Gareth Southgate’s side in the surge to the final – has been followed by a frustrating, injury-hit 2021/22 campaign, yet the Whites’ academy product has still impressed when he has featured.

Such has been his strong form in recent times, he compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 2% for pressures, the top 3% for tackles and the top 4% for blocks made, showcasing just what an all-action gem he really is.

Were McGinn to face the axe this summer, Phillips would no doubt be an ideal replacement and even a possible upgrade in the eyes of the Villa boss and Johan Lange, with the hope being that they can try and rival City’s significant interest.

IN other news, “Gerrard wants…” Preece drops exciting AVFC transfer update that supporters will love

Manchester United look set to lose another promising player this summer, with Dean Henderson reportedly set to join newly-promoted Nottingham Forest on a loan deal with an option to buy.

What’s the word?

Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano posted on Twitter: “Nottingham Forest have opened talks with Manchester United to sign Dean Henderson on loan with option to buy [around £20m]. Negotiations ongoing – Nottingham Forest want Henderson and it’s now a possibility also considered by the player. Talks on.”

Steve Cooper’s side are in need of a new goalkeeper after last season’s first-choice Brice Samba made it clear that he wants to leave, and Forest have acted quickly to move for Henderson.

The Englishman had limited first-team opportunities at United last season due to the form of David de Gea, so it is no surprise to see him linked with a move away from Old Trafford, although you would have hoped that Erik ten Hag would have been able to assess him before the club sanctioned any departure.

United supporters will be fuming

Although De Gea was impressive at times last season, United fans will still perhaps have been hoping that Henderson would have been the long-term heir to the 31-year-old Spaniard, especially after he came through the academy at United.

The 25-year-old has made just 29 senior appearances for the Red Devils during his time at the club, but he won a lot of plaudits after impressive loan spells with Shrewsbury Town and Sheffield United. Indeed, the shot-stopper was a key part of the Blades’ Championship promotion in 2019 and subsequent season in the Premier League, starting all but two league matches across those two campaigns.

Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge was full of praise for Henderson during his loan spell at Bramall Lane, saying: “He’s insane. I’ve never been with such a good goalkeeper. One thing in matches, he is almost a defence alone at times, and you feel so secure with him.

“But people have to see him at training. It’s crazy. He saves balls from one yard. Sometimes I am completely speechless by how good he is. It’s like having two goalkeepers in goal with him. He’s awesome.

“He’s so confident. He knows he is good and he exploits that too. He is exceptional.”

At 25, Henderson is still very young for a goalkeeper, while Berge’s comments would suggest that he has a lot of potential. Therefore, United supporters will surely be gutted to hear this update from Romano; and if the ‘keeper proves himself to be a bargain signing for Forest next season, then this feels like another transfer that those at Old Trafford will come to regret.

In other news… United now ready to pay £35m to sign Premier League flop, he’s even worse than Matic

West Brom are interested in re-signing former striker Dwight Gayle during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Gayle a former Baggies hero

The 32-year-old spent one season on loan at the Hawthorns back in 2018/19 and he proved to be an instant hit with his goalscoring prowess in the Championship.

Gayle scored 24 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances for West Brom overall, helping them return to the Premier League before returning to Newcastle United.

Now, it could be that a return to the Baggies is on the cards for the Englishman, who has 103 goals across his senior club career.

The Latest: Hawthorns return mooted

According to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, West Brom are interested in re-signing Gayle, although they face stiff competition from fellow Championship side Middlesbrough.

His current Newcastle deal doesn’t expire until 2024 but he could be allowed to leave this summer, having only featured for 34 minutes of Premier League action last season.

The Verdict: Still a strong option

At 32, Gayle isn’t necessarily the player he once was but he can still be a prolific presence in the Championship, scoring 59 of his career goals in the competition.

While the Premier League is arguably too strong for him, he is famed for his prowess in the second tier and he could be a good option for Steve Bruce, even if it is as a squad player.

Gayle has outlined his quality many times over the years – he was famously an influential player in the legendary 3-3 draw between Crystal Palace and Liverpool in 2014, scoring twice, and he has been hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Alan Shearer. It is surely worth taking a punt on him again at the Hawthorns.

In other news, West Brom are reportedly in advanced talks with one player. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Arnaud Kalimuendo to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Tutto Mercato Web (via Sport Witness), who claim that Victor Orta is making strong moves for the Paris Saint-Germain centre-forward this summer, with the Ligue 1 champions believed to be willing to part with the 20-year-old for a figure in the region of €20m (£17m).

An earlier claim made by Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna suggested that the Spanish director of football has even gone as far as to make a bid offer for the France U21 international, although the French reporter claimed that it would actually take an offer of €22m (£19m) in order for PSG to part ways with the young striker in the current market.

“Beautiful palette”

Considering the sheer amount of potential Kalimuendo quite clearly possesses, in addition to the signing of a new centre-forward reported to be one of Orta’s priority targets in the summer transfer window, it is easy to see why the Spaniard is believed to have made contact with PSG regarding a deal for the 20-year-old.

Indeed, over his 34 Ligue 1 appearances while on loan at RC Lens in 2021/22, the £17m-rated forward was in spectacular form, scoring 12 goals and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

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Furthermore, according to FBref data, the £6.6k-per-week forward also ranks in the top 28% of centre-forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 1% for pass completion, the top 19% for progressive carries and the top 11% for progressive passes received over the last 365 days.

These metrics saw the French youth international come in for a considerable amount of praise last season, none more so than from Lens head coach Franck Haise, who stated of Kalimuendo earlier this year:

“He is already the prototype striker of the present. From 18 to 20, he not only showed that he held his place in Ligue 1, but he continued to score in a team which evolves in the first part of the classification.

“He is an attacker for the future because he feels the blows and is clever in the finish. He is able to keep his back to the goal, attack the depth, to de-zone to create spaces for the others. He is already a beautiful palette that will be enriched.”

As such, with the PSG starlet evidently being a player who knows how to find the back of the net, boasts the potential to flourish into an exceptional top-tier striker and is available for an extremely reasonable £19m this summer, a move for the 20-year-old would appear an extremely smart one for Orta to make in the coming weeks.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now working on fourth summer signing, Leeds supporters will be buzzing

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Adama Traore once the summer transfer window opens.

The Lowdown: Back at Wolves

The 26-year-old is now back at Wolves following his loan spell at Barcelona, as the La Liga giants decided not to trigger the option to sign him on a permanent deal.

It was not really a surprise, given that he failed to score in 17 games across all competitions and only managed four assists for the Blaugrana (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Everton interested in Traore

As per Football Insider, Everton have now registered their interest in Traore, and a recruitment source has revealed that they are ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation at Molineux.

The Toffees’ director of football Kevin Thelwell is thought to be a ‘big admirer’ of the winger, believing that he could add a ‘new dimension’ to Frank Lampard’s attack with his speed.

An outlay of £20m is likely to be enough to secure the Spain international’s signature, although Wolves could accept less.

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The Verdict: Risky

Traore possesses unique pace which would pose a challenge for any defender  – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dubbed him ‘unplayable’, and claimed that the 26-year-old’s speed in particular is ‘undefendable’.

However, his loan spell at Barcelona was not a successful one, and truth be told, he is far from prolific in attacking areas, notching just one goal and no assists under Bruno Lage before his move in January.

Nonetheless, the Spain international still has room for improvement at 26 years of age, and Lampard may be able to get the best out of him at Goodison Park.

In other news, find out who Everton are now in contact over signing here!

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been left wowed by Newcastle United’s signing of Matt Targett.

The Lowdown: £12m fee

After paying a £3m loan fee last season, the St. James’ Park outfit have signed Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa for a further £12m, costing £15m in total (Sky Sports).

The left-back did not miss a single minute under Eddie Howe, except of course when they played his parent club (97.5% of polled supporters expressed their desire for him to stay.

The Latest: Kenny wowed

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny was wowed by the news that it only cost £12m to sign Targett permanently, claiming that it is a ‘bargain’ and a ‘no brainer’:

“It’s a no brainer.

“He had a good spell there and £12million in this day and age is not a lot of money, is it?

“It gets the ball rolling on the summer business for Newcastle which is important.

“He did well when he was there and I think it’s a bargain if I’m honest.

“£12million for someone with over 100 Premier League appearances, that doesn’t happen.”

The Verdict: Ball rolling

As Kenny claims, wrapping up the deal for Targett early gets the ball rolling for the North East club for the rest of the window.

The wealthy owners will be expected to make more signings after him and strengthen in all areas of the pitch, but securing a reliable option in a previously troublesome position immediately solves one big problem.

They have recently been linked with moves for attackers Alvaro Morata and Roger Fernandes, as well as goalkeepers Yann Sommer and Nick Pope, so it will be interesting to see just how many players walk through the door on Tyneside.

In other news, find out transfer update has this NUFC podcaster buzzing here!

Arsenal are believed to be back in the hunt for Juventus midfielder, Arthur Melo, having been linked with Brazilian back in January.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Claudio Raimondi (via Tutto Juve), the Gunners could well be set to reignite their interest in the 25-year-old this summer, having attempted to bring the €40m (£34m) player to the Premier League during the winter window only for the deal to fall through.

Speaking about the 22-cap international’s future – and that of club teammate Aaron Ramsey – Raimondi stated: “Juve are interested in Fabian Ruiz, but before starting a real negotiation, they must resolve the Ramsey-Arthur situations.

“For the Welshman, who is of interest to the Turkish team coached by Pirlo, they will move towards the termination of his contract with severance pay, while for the Brazilian midfielder, something is moving on the Arsenal side.”

The playmaker joined the Serie A side on a reported £66m deal back in 2020 from Catalan giants Barcelona, with fellow midfielder Miralem Pjanic moving in the other direction.

Arteta’s own Xavi

While that move has failed to work out for either party, with Arthur having fallen down the pecking order in Italy and with Pjanic spending last season on loan at Besiktas, that should not overshadow what would be a major coup for Mikel Arteta and co, were they to bring the former to the club this summer.

Despite starting just 11 league games last term, the £16.2m-rated gem is still a supremely gifted player in possession, notably ranking in the top 4% for pass completion and the top 7% for attempted passes among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

The man to keep things ticking in the centre of the park, the £125k-per-week unsurprisingly drew comparisons to current Blaugrana coach Xavi Hernandez during his spell at the Nou Camp, with former teammate Lionel Messi stating upon his arrival:

“Those who came are very good. Arthur, I didn’t know that much about but he seems similar to Xavi. He’s very safe and trustworthy. He has the La Masia style. Playing short passes, without losing the ball, and he grasped it quickly, the dynamic of the team.”

Such a glowing assessment from arguably one of the greatest players of all time illustrates just what a talent the Juve man is, while the likeness to the aforementioned Xavi will also set pulses racing back in north London, with the Spaniard having enjoyed a lengthy career at the elite level.

A product of the famed La Masia academy, he went on to rack up 766 appearances in all competitions for the La Liga outfit, scoring 85 goals and providing 185 assists in that time, while also claiming a plethora of major honours, including four Champions League triumphs.

On the international front, the now veteran star was part of the remarkable La Roja side that came out on top in three successive major tournaments between 2008 and 2012, having arguably won all there is to win in both forms of the game.

Arteta and co will know that such talents and such success is rare, although the Gunners boss will no doubt be keen to bring in a Xavi-esque talent like Arthur who can dictate the tempo in the centre of the park, having himself been a product of that much-celebrated Barcelona youth system.

AND in other news, Arsenal now plotting record-breaking bid for £100m gem, he’d be a “superstar” signing

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their chances of landing Eric Bailly in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the print edition of The Mirror, Manchester United are attempting to offload the central defender in the coming weeks.

The report claims that PIF have been given the green light to seal a deal as they have been offered the chance to sign him from the Red Devils.

It is stated that the Premier League giants will now demand a fee in the region of £8.5m for the out-of-favour centre-back.

Eddie Howe would love it

The Toon head coach would love Bailly at St. James’ Park as it would give him the opportunity to turn the defender’s career around.

Although he has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford, the Ivorian has shown signs of promise over the years that suggest there is a talented player in there.

Howe has shown that he can revive a player’s career as he turned Joelinton from a misfiring striker into a steamroller in midfield. The Brazilian won Newcastle’s Player of the Season award for his efforts in 2021/22, after the head coach switched his position up during the first half of the campaign.

Now, we are not expecting Bailly to come in and be converted into an attacking midfielder but the Toon boss can work with him on the training pitch to help him find consistency in his performances.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer previously dubbed Bailly “immense” and his form in the Champions League last term offered a glimpse of what he is capable of. In two appearances in Europe, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.35 as he made five tackles, three interceptions, seven clearances and won 60% of his aerial duels.

He also showcased his quality at the African Cup of Nations as he averaged a score of 7.40 across three games in the tournament earlier this year. The defensive brute won 70% of his duels and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, illustrating the impact he can have when he is fit and firing.

Therefore, Howe will enjoy trying to get the best out of Bailly as he has shown that he has the potential to be an excellent defender when he is at the peak of his powers. He may not have been able to show that in the Premier League for Manchester United, given their willingness to sell him, but the Magpies can now test their luck with the 28-year-old.

AND in other news, NUFC can unearth their own Abraham as Ashworth plots bid for “fearless” £25m bulldozer…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Nathan Ake in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Magpies head coach is a big fan of the Netherlands international, having worked with him at Bournemouth. The reporter also added that the Tyneside club are likely to make a move if Manchester City give teams the green light to come in for the 27-year-old.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT about Ake: “Eddie Howe loves him, he’s had him on his mind for quite a while now.

“He recommended him as a signing for the summer and he’s potentially going to be available, so of all the people being mentioned, look out in the background, if anything starts to happen with Nathan Ake, Newcastle will probably be in the conversation.”

Howe’s own Ruben Dias

If the Premier League champions decide to cash in on the £41m tank, the Magpies must snap him up as he can be Eddie Howe’s own version of Ruben Dias, who is listed as a similar player to the former Cherries defender on FBRef.

The Portugal international was named the English top flight’s Player of the Season for the 2020/21 campaign, as his impact at centre-back was judged to have played a big role in City winning the title after losing out to Liverpool in the previous campaign.

Whilst Newcastle may not be expecting to win the league next term, they can land their own transformative centre-back signing in the sense that Ake could elevate the style of play that they are able to deploy next season.

The gem, who was dubbed “underrated” by Liverpool machine and international compatriot Virgil van Dijk, is a ball-playing defender who can use his quality to build play out from the back for the Magpies. 

In Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, Ake rank in the 96th percentile amongst centre-backs for progressive carries, the 98th percentile for passes attempted, the 93rd percentile for pass completion percentage and in the 99th percentile for non-penalty Expected goals and assists, as per FBRef.

Meanwhile, Dan Burn ranks in the 58th percentile or lower in those statistics, which includes him being in the 19th percentile for pass completion percentage. This suggests that, whilst the January signing from Brighton has been a rock in defence, he does not have the quality to progress the play out from the back to a high standard.

On the other hand, Ake’s statistics show that he is exceptional at carrying and passing the ball out from defence to initiate attacks for his team.

Therefore, the Dutchman could transform the way that Newcastle play and have a major impact on Howe’s team next season, much like the signing of his current team-mate Dias had on Pep Guardiola’s side. The 27-year-old can instigate moves from centre-back and quicken their build-up through the thirds when needed, allowing Newcastle to play a more possession-based style.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook doesn’t expect Liverpool to make further additions to the attacking department this summer, providing Mohamed Salah stays put. 

The lowdown: Salah saga

On the verge of entering the final 12 months of a deal at Anfield (Transfermarkt), the long-term future of Salah remains in doubt, particularly after the Reds sold Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich with the Senegalese star in a similar position.

Despite reports suggesting that Liverpool won’t cash in on the 30-year-old during this transfer window, with claims that Salah wants to more than double a £225,000-per-week deal in Merseyside and owners FSG reluctant to break their wage structure for one player, a departure as a free agent in 2023 currently seems inevitable.

Jurgen Klopp has already added Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez to the ranks as part of the succession plan, and one informed source has now claimed that the incomings in the frontline are over for the time being…

The latest: ‘Murmurings…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Crook has suggested that Liverpool will refrain from making further signings unless Salah decides to move on before the September 1 deadline.

He said: “I don’t think they’re overly in the market for another attacker because they’re fairly well stocked in that department assuming that Salah stays.

“There are still one or two murmurings that he won’t, but I expect him to be there at least until the end of the season.”

The verdict: Well stocked…

Klopp was certainly afforded an embarrassment of attacking riches last term as the Reds competed in every possible fixture during the 2021/22 campaign, falling narrowly short of a never before seen quadruple.

Ultimately, despite the glistening firepower at his disposal, the German boss had to settle for a domestic cup double of the FA and Carabao Cups, trophies that were won in no small part down to the exploits of the now-departed duo Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi.

As things currently stand, the Anfield attacking ranks are made up of Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Diaz, Nunez and Salah, although new arrival Fabio Carvalho and youngsters such as Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Kaide Gordon could well be called upon more frequently next term.

Albeit the likes of Nunez and Carvalho are relatively unknown in the Premier League, those aforementioned options are more than enough for Klopp to plot another challenge for silverware as FSG and Julian Ward continue in their behind-the-scenes attempts to tie Salah – who was hailed as ‘unstoppable’ by ex-Kop icon Dean Saunders last season – down to an extension on Merseyside without breaking the bank.