West Ham United are leading the race to sign Juventus full-back Luca Pellegrini, according to a report from Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown: Rise to stardom

Formerly a member of AS Roma’s youth system, Pellegrini made a £19.8m switch to Juventus in 2019 and has spent time on loan at Cagliari and Genoa in his fledgling career.

The 23-year-old has only made 21 appearances for the Bianconeri’s senior team, and as such, a move away could be on the horizon in the not-too-distant future.

Set to return to Juve for pre-season following his most recent spell away from Turin, Pellegrini is already being touted with a Premier League move next…

The latest: West Ham keen on Pellegrini

As per Corriere dello Sport, transcribed by Sport Witness, the one-cap Italy international is being ‘followed by West Ham’ this summer.

It’s claimed that the east Londoners and newly-promoted Fulham have shown an interest in acquiring the left-back’s services, but it is the Hammers who are currently ‘in pole’ for the capture.

Whilst this report makes no mention of a potential transfer fee, it has previously been mooted that the man hailed as a ‘really good talent’ by journalist Arjun Pradeep could cost in the region of €10m-€12m (£8m-£10m).

The verdict: Shrewd move

At the suggested asking price, signing a player of Pellegrini’s calibre as an understudy to Aaron Cresswell initially would be a sensational piece of business from the London Stadium hierarchy.

Capable of playing as a conventional full-back and in more advanced positions, the Italian certainly shares a similar lust for getting forward as the Irons stalwart and would therefore act as a ready-made replacement for the 32-year-old when the time comes for the latter to depart the scene.

Boasting impressive dribbling and passing attributes (WhoScored), Pellegrini would need to hone his defensive skills under the tutelage of the evergreen Hammers left-back prior to becoming a regular in David Moyes’ side.

However, at his young age and with Cresswell still an established operator, there is no need for an immediate overhaul at left-back despite West Ham’s prolonged pursuit of a fresh face in that position.

Celtic have agreed a permanent contract for Benfica winger Jota following his successful loan spell at the Parkhead club last season.

What’s the news?

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph took to Twitter late on Thursday night to reveal a major development in the Hoops’ pursuit of a full-time deal for the 23-year-old.

The reporter tweeted: “Jota has tonight agreed a four-year contract with Celtic. Celtic and Benfica agreed a final deal of £6.3m, with a 30% sell-on clause, last month. The Hoops have been patiently waiting for Jota to come back from his holidays to finalise personal terms.”

In fact, following Joseph’s tweet, the Hoops have now officially announced that the attacker has joined them permanently.

Last month saw the Bhoys secure a permanent transfer for Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who like Jota had a successful loan period with Celtic in 2021/22.

During his spell at Parkhead last season, the winger made Premiership title.

Great news for Celtic supporters

Over 29 league appearances last term, the Portuguese attacker racked up 76 shots at goal, leaving only Liel Abada (81) with more at Celtic, in addition to delivering more crosses (229) than any other player in Postecoglou’s squad.

His overall performances earned the winger an impressive season rating of 7.53/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-highest rated player currently at the club.

This shows just how influential and pivotal he was during Celtic’s title-winning campaign and why the club made the right choice in signing him in the first place.

Now that the Hoops will have Jota back in their ranks for the next few years, this will surely have lots of supporters buzzing, given how impressive he was last season.

Also, having the former loan star on a permanent basis for the foreseeable future would undoubtedly give the Hoops a great chance of not only retaining the Premiership title, but also possibly winning other domestic trophies and having a successful run in Europe as well.

In other news: Postecoglou can finally axe £20k-p/w Celtic “shocker” by signing “outstanding” machine

Reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke has backed West Ham to complete the signing of Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard this summer.

The Lowdown: Hammers reignite interest

The 29-year-old spent the second half of the 2020/21 season out on loan at the London Stadium after receiving a considerable lack of game time with the Red Devils, and impressed with what he saw, David Moyes has been trying to secure the Premier League ace permanently ever since.

The Scot failed in his attempts back in January as a result of United refusing to let him go, but his contract at Old Trafford has now expired, meaning the Irons no longer have to negotiate with the Manchester outfit.

It was reported by Sky Sports just last week that the Hammers have now tabled an offer to the winger’s representatives in a bid to bring him back to East London for good.

The Latest: O’Rourke confident of Lingard deal

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke admitted that he is confident that Lingard will re-join West Ham and that it’s simply a matter of time. He said:

“You would expect this one to finally get done. Many people expected it to happen, but it’s dragged on and dragged on.

“We all know Jesse Lingard had a great spell on loan at West Ham and David Moyes is a huge fan of him as well. He’s now a free agent, so all roads point to West Ham now for Lingard, with other options seemingly gone away for Lingard as well.”

The Verdict: Guaranteed starter?

If Lingard were to put pen to paper and commit his future to the Irons, there’s no reason as to why he wouldn’t walk straight back into Moyes’ starting XI given the impact he had on loan in such a short amount of time.

The 32-cap international, who was once dubbed a ‘top class’ player by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, made an outstanding 14 goal contributions in just 16 appearances during his time at the club, via Transfermarkt, showing just how much of a difference to a team with little goalscoring threat outside of Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen.

With West Ham no doubt fully focused on trying to regain a place in the Europa League next season, the return of Lingard alongside the likes of Bowen and Antonio in the final third could be just what they need to achieve their ultimate goal.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped a big Wolves transfer update that will please Bruno Lage as he aims to rebuild his squad.

What’s the news?

The news surrounds a move for Sporting Lisbon player Matheus Nunes, with Romano tweeting: “Wolves have still no agreement with Matheus Nunes on personal terms. Talks ongoing with Sporting on the fee for one week, but the real issue is on player side.”

Despite the fact there hasn’t been an agreement yet, Lage will be delighted that talks are continuing, and he will be hoping to add Nunes to the squad ahead of next season.

Lage surely buzzing

Wolves will be aiming for another top-half finish in the Premier League next season following a solid if unspectacular first campaign under Lage.

With John Ruddy, Romain Saiss, and Marcal all leaving the club and the futures of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves uncertain, there will surely be an influx of new faces.

According to the Portuguese news outlet Record (via the Sun), Wolves have agreed on a deal for €45m and €5m in add-ons (£43m) for Nunes.

The midfielder played 33 matches as Sporting Lisbon came up short in their league title defence, scoring three times and registering one assist.

The 23-year-old’s passing ability is one of his main strengths, creating six big chances for Sporting as well as registering an impressive 36.5 accurate passes per match (86%).

The Portugal international isn’t shy about shirking his defensive duties either, winning 1.3 tackles per match whilst only being dribbled past 0.7 times each game.

£43m might sound like a lot, but if Lage wants to improve his team ahead of next season and add a player who can provide plenty of qualities at both ends of the pitch, then a move for Nunes is a no-brainer.

Wolves will be hoping a deal can be wrapped up as soon as possible and it would be a big statement of intent going forward and one that consequently delights their manager.

AND in other news, Mendes could deliver transfer masterclass as Wolves eye move for 173-goal “animal”

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.

Sunderland are reportedly now ‘interested’ in signing Jack Rudoni, and have already made a bid for the AFC Wimbledon midfielder.

The Lowdown: Standout season

Rudoni enjoyed a standout season at Wimbledon, where he was voted as their Player of the Year (POTY).

Dubbed an ‘excellent‘ player by former Dons manager Mark Robinson, the six-foot-one maestro managed 12 goals and a further seven assists in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt), impressive numbers indeed from the middle of the park.

The Latest: Bid made

Taking to Twitter, South London Press journalist Richard Cawley has revealed that the Stadium of Light outfit are ‘interested’ in signing Rudoni, and have already made a bid for the Englishman:

“Biggest bid for Jack Rudoni in this window has been around £500k + add-ons. Sunderland and Huddersfield have both made bids. Bristol City and Blackpool are also interested.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the competition from a number of their Championship rivals for his signature, Rudoni is a deal that Alex Neil’s side simply need to get done as soon as possible.

Having come up against him in League One last campaign, they will already have an idea of how he can slot into the side, and his 19 goal contributions were more than any Black Cats midfielder managed.

Considering Rudoni was playing in a team that got relegated as well, it is further testament to how impressive the 21-year-old was.

Nonetheless, SAFC will not want this deal to drag on into the start of the new season, and so will want to get it wrapped up straight away.

Rangers will have the ‘perfect replacement’ lined up for Alfredo Morelos, according to one talkSPORT pundit.

The Lowdown: Morelos exit links

According to a report by Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, one La Liga club are said to have submitted an €8m (£7m) bid for the Colombian attacker.

With less than a year left on his Ibrox contract, Rangers could end up seeing the 26-year-old departing on a free transfer next summer. As a result, the Premiership outfit may be forced into accepting a bid lower than his £11.7m Transfermarkt value.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s claim

Gabriel Agbonlahor, who works as a pundit for talkSPORT, has now weighed in on Morelos’ future with Rangers.

Speaking with Football Insider, the former Aston Villa striker claimed: “I think Alfredo Morelos will want to go, he’ll want to test himself in another league.

“He’s a very exciting player. I think teams will love the aggressiveness about him. The naughtiness about him is what I like and he will show his passion on the pitch.

“He’s been a good servant to Rangers and I think if they can get they money they deserve and feel that they want for him it’s something that they will let happen.

“And Rangers are going to be OK. They’re a team that attracts a lot of good players. They’ve got a good setup there with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and they’ve got a lot of players in there with experience of the Europa League so Rangers will be fine even if Morelos goes.

“I’m sure van Bronckhorst will have his eye on a perfect replacement.”

The Verdict: He’d be a big loss

Regardless of who the Light Blues bring in as his replacement, Morelos’ departure would come as a big loss to Rangers.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s major leagues over the past year, it is easy to see why this will be the case. As per FBRef, the Colombian ranks in the 96th percentile for dribbles completed, the 90th percentile for passes attempted and the 89th percentile for shots and assists.

Former Ibrox manager Steven Gerrard was clearly a huge fan of the 26-year-old, having previously hailed him as an ‘outstanding’ player, a claim which is backed up by the aforementioned figures and the striker’s fine record of 113 goals in 224 Gers appearances.

Therefore, if Rangers do accept a bid for Morelos this summer, he will be seriously missed at Ibrox this season.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has now shared the latest news on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Leeds winger Raphinha.

The Lowdown: Busy window

Spurs have wasted no time in the transfer market this window, with Lilywhites chief Fabio Paratici having already secured the North London club’s first three signings of the summer.

The first two arrivals at Hotspur Way came in the shape of free transfers, with Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic and Southampton’s Fraser Forster joining the club upon the expiry of their current contracts.

Paratici’s latest purchase was Brighton star Yves Bissouma, who joined Antonio Conte’s side after the two clubs came to an agreement on a £25m fee plus £10m worth of add-ons.

However, Tottenham are expected to pursue a total of six new signings, with a number of star arrivals still looking likely ahead of next season.

The Latest: Romano’s news

Romano has now shared the latest transfer news regarding Raphinha, who has heavily been linked with a move to La Liga giants Barcelona.

Taking to Twitter in the last 48 hours, the journalist said: “Raphinha situation. Barcelona agreed personal terms with Raphinha, but no agreement on fee with Leeds.

“Arsenal are in direct negotiations with Leeds, interested since March. Both Chelsea & Tottenham have been in contact too.

“Fee could be around 65/75m.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

While we all know about his incredible ability on the ball – BBC’s Garth Crooks said he’s ‘a throwback to the Rivaldos and Ronaldinhos of yesteryear’ and ‘elegant and delightful’  – the 25-year-old’s underlying statistics also suggest he has a variety of qualities that would suit Conte’s play-style.

Compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the Brazil international ranks in the 90th percentile for progressive passes, as expected, whereas he also surprisingly ranks in the 91st percentile for blocks made (via FB Ref), suggesting he has the tenacity required to fulfil Conte’s expectations.

With the manager’s direct set-up down the flanks, the Brazilian’s athletic qualities would suit Tottenham’s style of football – he even played right-wing-back under Jesse Marsch at times last season.

We feel this would be an excellent move if Conte can convince the tricky winger to choose N17 over their London counterparts.

In other news: Paul Robinson urges Spurs to sign another striker…

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid winger Yannik Carrasco recently, and the Belgian could be a big upgrade in Erik ten Hag’s side next season.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet AS, the Red Devils, plus Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, are all keen on signing the 28-year-old this summer after his impressive performances in Diego Simeone’s side last season.

They claim that the Atletico manager sees Carrasco as a big part of his plans at the Wanda Metropolitano and won’t budge on the €60m (£51.5m) release clause in the former Monaco attacker’s contract.

Better than Rashford?

If United were to meet the winger’s release clause, they would be signing a player who has just enjoyed two of his best seasons in an Atletico shirt.

Last term saw him contribute six goals and six assists in 34 La Liga appearances for Los Colchoneros, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 7.08 average rating for his performances in Spain’s top flight, including five man-of-the-match displays.

For comparison, Rashford managed just four goals and two assists in 25 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, averaging a shocking 6.35 WhoScored rating for his performances.

The United academy graduate also averaged just 0.9 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the top flight last term, whereas Carrasco managed 1.5 shots, 1.6 key passes and 2.6 dribbles per match in La Liga, so it seems clear that he would be an upgrade on the 24-year-old.

Given the England international’s sharp decline in form last season, Ten Hag may well be looking for more consistent options out wide, as United were far too reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo for goals in 2021/22.

Carrasco would almost certainly provide an attacking output that the majority of United’s wide players have failed to consistently produce, as he has 80 goals and 80 assists in his club career thus far.

After hitting a hat-trick against Granada in 2016, Simeone was full of praise for Carrasco, saying: “He is a very complete player, with a bright future ahead of him.”

Although the 28-year-old would be an expensive option for the Glazers, it seems as if United are definitely interested in bringing him in; and if his statistics last season are anything to go by, he would surely be an upgrade to Ten Hag’s current options out wide.

In other news… United can land Ten Hag his own Robertson with bid for “exceptional” £30m target

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Ben Foster.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Foster

The Whites are looking at bringing in an experienced goalkeeper this summer to provide backup to Illan Meslier and Kristoffer Klaesson. The former will remain first-choice heading into Jesse Marsch’s first full season at Elland Road.

Leeds have reportedly held in-house talks about signing Foster, who will officially become a free agent in a matter of days when his Watford contract expires.

The Latest: Robinson reacts

Robinson, who contributes as a pundit for Sky Sports, was talking to MOT Leeds News regarding Leeds’ goalkeeping situation.

He once again urged the club to land an experienced shot-stopper and said that he has ‘heard’ the links with Foster, saying that it would be an ‘outstanding signing’.

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The former Whites netminder stated:

“I said 18 months ago about Joe Hart and we’ve seen how well he’s done at Celtic. They should have signed someone of that quality.

“Illan Meslier has been excellent and I think he’s the out-and-out number one simply because he’s got no competition.

“Next season, if he gets injured or suspended, they’ve got no quality number two. And if he has a dip in form – which will happen at some point – the manager’s got no choice to stick with him and ride it out because he hasn’t got a good enough number two to put in.

“They have to go for a quality one.

“If you look around the Premier League, the other teams have quality goalkeepers. Everyone carries a top-quality number two who can do the job.

“I heard a link with Ben Foster and I think that would be an outstanding signing if they were able to pull it off.

“He’s somebody with experience who Meslier can learn from.

“But he’s also equally as good to step in and play should Meslier not be able to or wasn’t in form. It’s an area they have to address this window.”

The Verdict: Smart signing?

If Leeds want someone with plenty of experience and knowledge of the Premier League, then Foster is their man. The 39-year-old made 29 league appearances for Watford last season, taking his top-flight tally to 390.

Foster has the record for the most saves of any goalkeeper in Premier League history, so he looks like the ideal backup option who’s available to sign.

It also wouldn’t cost Leeds a penny when it comes to a transfer fee, potentially making this move even more appealing for Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises.