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Liverpool have been heavily linked with Gavi during the summer transfer window, and a fresh new update has emerged on the youngster’s future amid contract negotiations with his current club Barcelona.

What’s the latest?

According to reports in Spain, while it was believed that a deal was close to being signed, there are still many differences to be ironed out between the player and the club.

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As per the report, Gavi and Barcelona were reported to be almost completely in agreement on extending his contract and securing his future with the La Liga giants, but this is now not thought to be true.

It is suggested that Barcelona do not believe Gavi is a fully-fledged footballer as of yet, although the young midfielder believes he has earned enough experience to be paid on a par with his more senior team-mates at the club.

FSG must act now

With the news that Barcelona are not as close as anticipated to securing a deal for Gavi to remain at the club, FSG must act now and take their opportunity to hijack the deal and offer the youngster a future at Anfield.

Liverpool have a relatively ageing squad in terms of their midfield options, with Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and James Milner all now well into their 30s. Therefore,  injecting some youth into their team could be a good step forward for the Reds as they continue their pursuit for dominance and trophies on all fronts.

Darwin’s a Red! Get your special edition Darwin Nunez tee here.

Gavi has been impressing over the last season, with Jamie Redknapp lauding praise on the 17-year-old, who he called “talented” and a “phenomenon” in an interview on Sky Sports

The former Liverpool midfielder gushed (via SPORT): “I want to see Gavi’s birth certificate… You can’t be that good at 17! He is a phenomenon, very talented. I’m amazed, I loved watching him play, it’s a pleasure to see him. Gavi is going to be a superstar if he continues on this path. He has it all, I loved watching him play tonight.”

The Spanish talent – who has a €100m (£85.6m) release clause – scored two goals, delivered five assists and created eight big chances during the 2021/22 season, making 1.1 tackles and winning 5.6 duels per game. Also, he was successful with the majority of his dribbles (62%) in his 34 La Liga appearances, suggesting that his potential has no ceiling.

With that being said, FSG must not pass up on their opportunity to turn Gavi’s head with an attractive offer which could tempt him away from securing his future with Barcelona this summer, instead joining Jurgen Klopp’s talented squad in their pursuit for a second Premier League title and beyond.

AND in other news – “Liverpool have..”: Sky Sports reporter drops exciting update that’ll delight supporters

Celtic have a track record when it comes to signing players from English clubs over the years, either on permanent or loan deals.

One club in particular with whom the Hoops have done a significant amount of business is Manchester City.

Over the past 10 years, Celtic have secured deals for the likes of Jason Denayer, Patrick Roberts and Olivier Ntcham, among others, from the Premier League champions.

Another player that the Bhoys brought to Parkhead from the Etihad Stadium is Dedryck Boyata. In 2015, Celtic paid £1.5m to secure the defender on a four-year deal from City.

During his four years in Glasgow, the Belgian made 135 appearances before leaving in 2019 for Hertha Berlin after a reported clash with former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

Now that some years have passed, it seems as though the Hoops may have the chance to sign what could be their next version of Boyata, but hopefully without the reported behind-the-scenes issues.

Last month, it was reported that the Bhoys have their eyes on potentially making a move to sign City defender Ko Itakura.

Along with sharing the same connection with the Manchester club that Boyata had, the former Hoops defender is also listed as a similar player to Itakura according to Football Transfers.

The pair also share a knack for being solid defensive units as well. Looking back to the seven matches that Boyata played in Celtic’s 2018/19 Europa League campaign, the centre-back averaged 1.9 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 2.6 clearances per game.

As for the current City defender, he averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per league game during his recent loan spell with Schalke.

While these statistics may not be as high as the 31-year-old’s during his period with the Hoops, the Japan international has still shown that he can be a useful figure at the back.

Labelled an “incredibly fast” player by Dutch pundit Hans Kraay Jr., the 25-year-old could still be a useful addition to Celtic’s ranks and give Ange Postecoglou some extra depth in that area of his squad.

This could be crucial for the 56-year-old as his side will be looking to retain the Premiership title and go as far as they can in Europe next time around.

If the Hoops can use their previous connections with City to help forge a deal for the £3.15m-rated dynamo, this could be a great bit of business for all involved.

In other news – Talks incoming: Celtic plot swoop for £4.05m-rated dynamo, he’s Ange’s next “warrior”

Ruben Neves is widely expected to leave Wolves this summer after five years at the club, but the Old Gold may already have an ideal replacement in their ranks.

While Morgan Gibbs-White is the name on many Wolves fans’ lips after his impressive loan spell in the Championship with Sheffield United, there was another Molineux academy prospect doing the business with St Mirren in Scotland.

Connor Ronan has managed just 13 first-team appearances in nearly eight years at the Midlands club, having joined from Rochdale’s academy as a teenager.

The 24-year-old has endured a plethora of loan spells away from Wolves without ever really being given an opportunity in the first team at Molineux.

The Irish midfielder failed to set the world alight in the EFL, struggling for regular game-time in spells at Portsmouth, Blackpool and Walsall, with frankly bizarre stints at Dunajska Streda and Grasshopper Zurich also featuring on the youngster’s CV.

However, last season saw him find his feet in Scotland with St Mirren, where he was a key player for the Buddies throughout the season. He made 30 appearances in total, in which he contributed an impressive eight goals and five assists, despite Stephen Robinson’s side finishing ninth from 12 in the Premiership table.

His performances in Scotland, which included some spectacular goals, were enough to see him win the Player of the Year and Goal of the Season awards, so he will surely return to Wolves in a confident mood ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Bruno Lage certainly has a decision to make on the 24-year-old, as another loan spell surely wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone. With Neves potentially on his way out, the Portuguese boss will need another creative midfielder in his squad.

Ronan can certainly offer that, as then-caretaker boss David Dunn testified during his time on loan at Blackpool by saying: “I thought he was excellent last week at AFC Wimbledon as well, he’s got such a good touch. He makes things happen for us.”

Although Gibbs-White has certainly done enough to warrant a spot in the first-team squad next season with his performances for the Blades, scoring 12 goals in the Championship, he is also being linked with a move away from Molineux, and Lage may well end up turning to Ronan as the heir to Neves’ throne.

In other news… Lage set to axe “unplayable” Wolves monster, it’s the right call

A huge development has emerged in Manchester United’s ploy to bring Frenkie de Jong to Old Trafford this summer.

What’s the word?

De Jong has emerged as a target for new manager Erik ten Hag over the last few weeks as the former Ajax boss aims to reunite himself with the Dutch maestro.

No official bid has been submitted yet but the club are now in contact to sign the 25-year-old this summer.

Speaking on YouTube channel, Romano said:

“I have an update for you after a check I had in the last few hours. Frenkie de Jong spoke in public in the last 24 hours and said again that he has no intention to leave Barcelona. But what I can tell you is that after some checks, Barcelona and Manchester United are in direct contact for Frenkie de Jong.

“There is still no official bid from Manchester United. They are still discussing, speaking, there is no official proposal yet. It could happen in the coming hours or days. For sure, Manchester United have intention to act soon for Frenkie de Jong. They really want to complete this transfer this summer. The fee, from what I’m told is around €85m (72.4m). This could be the price tag to sign the Dutch midfielder.”

Exciting times for Man United

Manchester United now have the price they need to bring De Jong to the Premier League this summer.

Although not necessarily a breakthrough in proceedings, it should excite the Old Trafford faithful considerably that the two teams are now in talks regarding a potential deal.

With confirmation arriving on Wednesday that Paul Pogba is set to depart, bringing in a new central midfielder is simply of utmost importance.

A player as good as De Jong would be a fine way to replace him too.

A quick look at FB Ref’s similar player model puts the Dutch dynamo in fine company, with the player comparable in playstyle to the likes of Luka Modric, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva.

He is blessed with a wonderful range of passing, with de Jong registering a success rate of 91.3% for Barca in La Liga this season.

To compare that to the United squad throughout 2021/22, he ranks higher than any player to start a game for the Red Devils in the Premier League.

A safe pair of hands in the middle of the park is exactly what ten Hag needs to start his rebuild and it’s evident he’d be an upgrade on the likes of Scott McTominay and Fred.

He makes more key passes per match (1.3) than the pair of them – a statistic that would place him fourth in the United side – and he also completes 1.6 dribbles a game. Once more that’s a number that betters United’s midfield options and again places him fourth compared to ten Hag’s squad.

With that in mind, it’s clear to see that he’d offer a great deal more in the centre for the Premier League side, an eventuality that should leave fans excited at the prospect of him arriving in England this summer.

AND in other news, MUFC can sign their answer to Haaland in “magical” £222k-p/w gem who’s “like Maradona”…

Celtic not only ended their 2021/22 SPFL season with the league title under their belt but they also did it whilst boasting the best-attacking record in the top flight.

Having played 38 games, the Hoops found the net 92 times, which is 12 more than their fierce rivals, Rangers, did.

One player that ended up playing a rather significant role in Celtic’s attack this season was Jota.

Signed on loan from Portuguese club Benfica back in the previous summer transfer window, the winger played in 29 league games for the Bhoys.

In those appearances, the 23-year-old scored ten goals and delivered 11 assists along the way.

Rather unsurprisingly, there have been reports claiming that the Hoops are looking to make the winger’s stay at Parkhead permanent this summer.

Should they be successful in those attempts, the focus can then shift to potentially bringing new players to the club and help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

One figure that the Bhoys have been linked with recently that could form a scary attacking partnership with Jota is Ferencvaros striker Ryan Mmaee.

With 141 senior club appearances under his belt across all competitions, the 24-year-old striker has scored 49 goals and delivered 25 assists in the process.

This season saw the Moroccan rack up 19 goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances for his current side, which included two games against Celtic in the Europa League.

This shows just how much of a deadly striker he is who can not only score goals but provide them as well.

It also backs up why he was described as being “prolific” for the Hungarian side by journalist Maher Mezahi on Twitter.

Having racked up the second-highest average for shots and dribbles per game in the Europa League this season for his current side, he clearly has the attacking talent to be a suitable addition to the Parkhead club’s ranks.

With all of this in mind, if Celtic can start their next campaign with both Jota and Mmaee in their side, it would give Postecoglou the chance to form a potentially frightening attacking pair that could give the Hoops a great chance to not only possibly regain the SPFL title but to go as far as they can in Europe as well.In other news: Celtic can replicate CCV masterclass by signing 25y/o gem who’s “one of the very best”

Everton are plotting a move for Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski as Frank Lampard looks to strengthen his defence ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Everton and Leicester City have joined the chase for the Burnley defender following their Premier League relegation.

The 29-year-old is out of contract this summer and will surely remain in the top flight following the events of Sunday which confirmed Burnley’s exit after seven years.

Everton could face a mighty battle to secure his signature, with the events that happened this season, the Englishman may fancy a side that has a greater chance of European football.

Tarkowski can be an upgrade on Michael Keane

Everton conceded 66 goals in the league this season, the fifth-worst total and this is something both Farhad Moshiri and Lampard urgently needs to address if they don’t want a repeat of this season’s relegation battle next year.

By signing Tarkowski, they could get an immediate upgrade on fellow Englishman Keane. The Burnley defender has made and won more tackles (71 and 42) compared to Keane (49 and 35), whilst also applying more pressures (261 to 228).

With almost double the numbers of blocks (92 to 51) and more interceptions (72 to 62) it’s clear to see why the 29-year-old would be a better option than Keane.

Keane has a WhoScored average rating of 6.72 and wins on average, three aerials per match. Tarkowski on the other hand is ranked first in the Burnley squad on the average rating (6.97) and wins a mammoth 4.4 aerials per match.

The stats prove that on a free transfer, Tarkowski would represent a wonderful piece of business, especially with Everton’s defensive woes this season.

He has been described as a “rock” by Alex James in the past and if he does want a move to Goodison, he could well ask for a pay rise on his current £70k-per-week deal he has at the moment.

AND in other news, Lampard plotting Everton bid for £158k-p/w dynamo, he’d be a “joy to watch”

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Everton forward Richarlison ahead of a possible summer swoop.

The Lowdown: Richarlison in England

Richarlison, labelled as a ‘match-winner’ by Kevin Campbell, has been plying his trade in England since 2017.

He impressed with Watford in his first year in the top flight which resulted in Everton spending over £35m on his services. Since then, the Brazilian has made more than 150 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 52 times, including 10 this season.

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He’s played a key role in Everton’s attempts to avoid the drop, and it looks as if a move to work with Erik ten hag at Old Trafford could be on the cards.

The Latest: United contact

Sports Witness shared an update from Goal regarding Richarlison on Tuesday. They claim that United, along with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, have made contact to learn conditions over a move and are all in the running for his services.

The report adds that Everton are yet to name a price for their star attacker, however, United are willing to ‘invest’ in the 25-year-old.

The Verdict: Shrewd?

Richarlison has played as a centre forward and as a left-winger this season, two areas of the pitch where Ten Hag may be looking to strengthen this summer.

He could have limited options in both positions, should Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford depart, as has been rumoured, so Richarlison could be a smart signing based on his versatility and experience in the Premier League.

You’d expect that his asking price would fall if Everton dropped down to the Championship, but if they remain in the top flight, then perhaps United would have to pay over his £45m Transfermarkt valuation as he enters the final two years of his Goodison Park deal.

In other news: Agreement reached: Man Utd now strike deal for ‘top’ gem who ‘dominates’ on the ball. 

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has now been dealt a big blow as Etihad Stadium ‘sources’ share a major exit development.

The Lowdown: Eastlands overhaul?

The signing of Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Braut Haaland, coupled with phenomenal results against the likes of Newcastle and Wolves, have made this week one to remember for Blues.

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Putting the heartbreak of that Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Real Madrid well and truly behind them, Guardiola’s side have displayed the mentality of real champions and exactly why they’re currently Premier League front-runners.

Still well and truly in a dogfight with arch rivals Liverpool for the domestic crown, that hasn’t stopped City officials from planning for the 2022/2023 campaign.

After Haaland, links have emerged to an array of head-turning new targets, not least Barcelona superstar Frenkie de Jong and even Man United outcast Paul Pogba.

Some of Guardiola’s first-team stars could also be on their way out of Eastlands this summer, perhaps most notably the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling who are all out of contract in 2023 as things stand.

The Latest: Guardiola dealt Sterling blow…

90min, sharing an update on the latter man from their ‘City sources’, claim Sterling is ready to quit the Sky Blues and will now ‘inform the club’ that he ‘wants to join Barcelona this summer’.

This comes as a big blow for Guardiola who is ‘hugely keen’ to see the England international put pen to paper on fresh terms after re-instating him into the first team.

The Verdict: Bad news?

Sterling is a player who has polarised sections of the fanbase at times with some absolutely stunning performances also followed by questionable moments.

That being said, there is little doubt that the 27-year-old is a truly phenomenal player and crucial asset for Guardiola when at his very best level.

His 2019/2020 season, where he finished as City’s top goal-scorer in all competitions with over 30, is testament to this – not to mention the fact he’s just nine away from a century of top flight strikes for the club.

Scoring 131 and assisting 94 others in total since signing from Liverpool in 2015, his ability has drawn admiration from players in and outside the club.

Former Man City starlet Tosin Adarabioyo, for example, called Sterling a ‘beast’ amid his fantastic run of form for England at the Euros last year.

Indeed, when taking all of this into account, losing the Three Lions ace would be a blow for Guardiola.

In other news: Man City enter pole position to sign ‘one of the best players in the world’ after Haaland! Find out more here.

Manchester City are three games away from potentially securing their fourth Premier League title in five years.

Despite the focus being on making sure they lift the league trophy once these three games are played, it seems as though a development has emerged regarding a potential summer transfer swoop that the Citizens have been mentioned with recently.

What’s the news?

According to journalist David Ornstein in a recent report for The Athletic, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has “opted against” joining City after the Frenchman was linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium last week.

Given how successful City have been in recent years in terms of winning domestic trophies, it’s surprising that the France international has passed up a potential opportunity to join them.

With 233 senior appearances to his name for the Red Devils, Pogba has found the net 39 times and delivered 51 assists.

Supporters will be gutted

During his time with Juventus between 2012 and 2016, the Frenchman scored 34 goals and provided 40 assists in 178 appearances across all competitions.

This shows just how much of an attacking and creative player the 29-year-old can be from the midfield and why it’ll be a blow for City to potentially miss out on signing him on a free transfer this summer once his deal at Old Trafford runs out.

The City fans will also be gutted to hear that a move across town from United won’t be on the cards.

Given the success that the Citizens had with their 2009 swoop for Carlos Tevez, who went on to score 73 goals in 148 appearances for them, it would have been a great sight for the City fans to see something similar happen with Pogba, having both had spells with United.

Furthermore, with current City midfielder Fernandinho set to leave the club in the summer when his contract expires, they will now have to look elsewhere in order to find a suitable replacement for the Brazilian veteran, and presumably at a costly price too.

In other news: “Man City will..”: Romano drops behind scenes transfer claim, it’s bad news for Pep

Former Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas has pleaded with the club to tie manager Ange Postecoglou down to a new deal, claiming the club must already be plotting or even in behind-scenes ‘negotiations’.

The Lowdown: Ange excels in first year

The Australian replaced Neil Lennon in the Parkhead hot seat last year, looking to improve fortunes on the pitch after a disappointing period.

Postecoglou has done just that, inspiring Celtic to within touching distance of regaining the Scottish Premiership title, needing just one more point to achieve that goal.

Not only that but the Hoops have already sealed Scottish League Cup glory, too, further outlining the job he is doing.

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The Latest: Nicholas wants new deal sorted

Postecoglou only signed a one-year deal at Parkhead, however, and speaking to The Scottish Daily Express, Nicholas, 60, claimed the club must surely already be engaged in or plotting behind-scenes talks:

“Forget about all the transfers because Celtic’s No. 1 priority in the coming weeks should be rewarding Ange Postecoglou with a new contract. I would be absolutely amazed if talks haven’t already started.

“Celtic would be absolutely crazy if they haven’t opened negotiations or even scheduled them for the coming weeks. Ange deserves to be rewarded for what he has done.

“Let’s get him tied up because he is at the heart of everything good that Celtic are doing and have done. They kept topping up Brendan Rodgers’ deal and look at the compensation they got for him when Leicester City came in.

“I don’t think Ange will be pushing for a new deal but it would be a reward for the remarkable job he has done at Celtic…so far. His reputation is growing and there is no doubt other big clubs will be looking at him.

“So Dermot (Desmond) show a bit of loyalty and reward Ange, please. He should be the top priority at the club.”

The Verdict: No-brainer for Celtic

It would be devastating to see Postecoglou suddenly leave at the end of the season, having not agreed terms on a contract and found a new club instead.

That seems unlikely, in truth, with the Celtic boss seemingly happy at the club, but supporters won’t rest easy until he has extended his stint with the Hoops.

Postecoglou has made an enormous difference since replacing Lennon, becoming an undoubted fan favourite already, and the club could enjoy a rich period of success under him.

In other news, an exciting Celtic financial update has emerged. Read more here.