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Leeds United are unlikely to bring in either Brendan Rodgers or Graham Potter as their new manager this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Who has been linked with Leeds job?

The Whites ended up getting through three managers during the 2022/23 season, with Jesse Marsch eventually replaced by Javi Gracia, as his reign got progressively worse.

The Spaniard fared no better, however, and with Leeds spinning towards the Championship under him, Sam Allardyce was brought in to mastermind a recovery act. He didn't have long enough to make his presence felt, however, and he left the club last week after the Whites were relegated from the Premier League.

Those high up at Elland Road are now looking to nail the next managerial appointment this summer, with a number of individuals already linked with the vacant job.

Two of those are Rodgers and Potter, both of whom were sacked by Leicester City and Chelsea respectively earlier in the campaign, but are still considered good British coaches.

Are Rodgers and Potter unlikely to join?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs admitted that Rodgers and Potter are unlikely to want to head into the Championship, given their current respective statuses in the game:

"We're going to see other candidates linked, like Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers, but I sense these are names that were being discussed when Leeds were still in the Premier League with a chance of safety.

"I think the likes of Rodgers and Potter can get quite big Premier League jobs still. Leeds are a big club, so if they were in the Premier League, maybe in the off-season and with new owners that would have been of appeal. But I would be surprised if Potter or Rodgers personally considered dropping down into the Championship."

In truth, this was always going to be a potential issue for Leeds when it came to finding a top-class new manager, with the Premier League seen as the holy grail, and dropping down to the second tier an understandable backward step in their career.

For that reason, both Rodgers and Potter have always felt a little pie in the sky, and it could be that someone like Steven Gerrard is the best option, with the Liverpool legend having something to prove after an underwhelming spell at Aston Villa.

Meanwhile, former Leeds Under-21s boss Carlos Corberan could also be a strong choice, with the 40-year-old already thriving in the Championship with West Brom, and possibly seeing a return to Elland Road as an exciting avenue to go down.

Jurgen Klopp was left angered at one incident involving Roberto Firmino in Liverpool's 4-4 draw away to Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

How did Liverpool fare at Southampton?

The Reds faced their final game of a hugely disappointing season, making the trip to an already-threatened Saints side who have also struggled in their own right. Fifth place was the best that Klopp's side could hope for going into the match, and it proved to be a crazy game at St Mary's, with neither side having much to play for.

Diogo Jota capitalised on a dreadful misplaced pass by rumoured Liverpool transfer target Romeo Lavia to give the visitors the lead, before Firmino made it 2-0 in his last-ever match in a Reds shirt.

Southampton fought back impressively, however, with James Ward-Prowse reducing the arrears with a well-taken effort, before Kamaldeen Sulemana equalised with a shot that Caoimhin Kelleher failed to keep out.

Early in the second half, he then put the hosts with a curled finish from the edge of the penalty area, as the Reds fell to pieces on the south coast, with some of the defending on show summing up their struggles in that area throughout the season.

Substitute Adam Armstrong made it 4-2 just after coming in to seemingly compound Liverpool's misery, but Cody Gakpo and Jota scored in the space of a few minutes to make it 4-4.

What did Firmino do wrong v Saints?

Taking to Twitter, Ian Doyle spotted Klopp's anger at one moment involving Firmino during the first half, in which he failed to make life easy for teammate Curtis Jones:

"Klopp not happy with Firmino after one very strongly hit pass gave Jones not much chance to control."

In truth, this wasn't a day to be too bothered about Firmino's negative involvement against Saints, instead focusing on a legendary career from the Brazilian.

The £180,000-a-week attacker has been a true modern-day great at Anfield, scoring 111 goals and registering 79 assists, with his selfless style the perfect foil for Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at his peak.

He should be remembered as one of the most influential figures of the Klopp era, arriving in 2015 and spending eight iconic years on Merseyside, winning the Champions League and Premier League, among numerous other trophies. It is great to see him bow out with a goal in both his final home game and last-ever match for Liverpool, too, and the hope is that he continues to enjoy the rest of his career, wherever he ends up.

Liverpool look to be in a period of transition as Jurgen Klopp eyes a squad rebuild following a topsy-turvy campaign that has left them fifth in the Premier League table heading into the final day.

The Reds have confirmed through their official channels that Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave Anfield upon the expiration of their contracts this summer, paving the way for some much-needed freshening of the guard heading into 2023/24.

In their search for midfield reinforcements, Borussia Dortmund Jude Bellingham had been heavily linked with a switch to Merseyside. Nevertheless, ESPN report that Liverpool pulled out of the race to sign the England international as 'the move would prevent the club from strengthening elsewhere ahead of next season', leading Klopp and company to pursue alternative targets.

Football Insider broke earlier this month that Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella has emerged as someone who Liverpool have serious interest in and they have become 'frontrunners' to secure his signature, with a fee of £61 million potential being enough to tempt the Serie A giants into selling the €178,077 (£154,450) earner.

What's the latest news involving Nicolo Barella and how has he faired in 2022/23?

The Football Insider report also claims that Inter Milan would be 'open' to letting Barella explore a new challenge this summer and detailed that he has been scouted by Reds chiefs.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones has stated his belief that Barella could become Liverpool's version of Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan at the heart of Klopp's midfield.

Jones told FFC: "They could definitely have their own version of Gundogan, possibly even for right now, a better version, given that he is emerging as a player, whereas Gundogan is the fully developed, experienced end product; I think that Barella might still have a desire inside him to keep pushing on and possibly even slightly remould himself into whatever it is that Jurgen Klopp would want."

Barella, like Gundogan, has a keen eye for goal and has managed to record eight goals and nine assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for his side this term, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef also takes into account that the Cagliari-born 26-year-old star has provided a glut of chances for his teammates this campaign, successfully completing 140 shot-creating actions in total.

In Serie A, the Italy international has also illustrated his capacity to perform a number of functional roles in the middle of the park, having racked up an average of 1.6 key passes and 1.4 tackles per game in 2022/23, according to WhoScored.

Intriguingly, Liverpool boss Klopp has previously praised Barella's all-round ability in an interview in February 2022, as cited by OneFootball, saying: "He's a really good player, a really good player and I like him a lot. He has all the things you want from a midfield player: he is aggressive, he is technical, he can run for ages and all these kinds of things. That's a top-class player."

Seeing that Klopp is a fan of Barella may add weight to prospective rumours linking the playmaker with a move to Anfield and his versatility would likely compensate for their failed long-running pursuit of Bellingham.

Multiple midfield additions are said to be on the horizon at Liverpool and Barella could well be their very own midfield general to drive the Reds forward for the coming years.

The Liverpool Echo claim that financial concerns at Inter Milan may make the process of a sale smoother for Liverpool, who simply cannot pass up opportunities to bring a player who is of the calibre of Barella to Anfield in the summer.

Everton struggled this season following a tight relegation battle in the Premier League, and Frank Lampard must improve the squad if they want to do better next time around.

To that effect, a new Goodison Park transfer target has now been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, the Toffees have joined the race to sign former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard, who is now a free agent.

As per the report, the attacking midfielder is a potential target for not just Everton – his former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho could try to tempt him with a move to Roma, or he could rejoin his former loan club West Ham United this summer.

Imagine him & Gordon

Everton are desperate to add new attacking threats to enhance their goalscoring opportunities following a lack of goals last season, which ultimately led to the Toffees struggling in the bottom half of the table, and signing Lingard could be a great solution to that problem ahead of next season.

The Merseyside club conceded 23 goals more than they scored in the 2021/22 Premier League, with Richarlison leading the way with 11 in all competitions. However, they will need to find a few more reliable scoring outlets if they want to break back into the top half next term.

Lingard has never been a consistent starter at Old Trafford, but during his time at his boyhood club, he has scored 35 goals and delivered 21 assists in 232 first-team appearances, with one goal contribution every 224 minutes. However, he has proven elsewhere that regular game-time enables him to offer a consistent attacking threat.

The £80k-p/w star, who was dubbed “infectious” by Manchester United legend Andy Cole, enjoyed a successful six-month loan spell at West Ham last year. He displayed his talents effectively in east London, scoring nine goals and contributing five assists in just 16 appearances, proving that he could be a very astute signing for any Premier League club this summer.

Lampard is already a huge fan of the 29-year-old and spoke out about him in 2018 on BT Sport (via The Sport Review), saying: “What I like about him is his game intelligence. You never see him linger on the ball when he doesn’t need to. He has the right amount of touches and knows when to arrive in the box at the right time.”

With that in mind, the Toffees manager could tee up a formidable attacking duo if he can secure the signing of Lingard and deploy him in the team alongside Anthony Gordon, who chipped in with seven goal contributions this term. The pair couldlink up to create more goal-scoring opportunities in the final third, ideally leading to Everton enjoying a more fruitful 2022/23 season.

AND in other news – Worse than Klassen: Journo claims Everton are now tracking “really slow” 31 y/o dud

Manchester United’s move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is ‘practically closed’, according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida.

The Lowdown: Timber talks

Erik ten Hag has seemingly made the 20-year-old his first major target as United manager. The Red Devils first made contact over a possible move at the end of April, and a transfer has slowly gathered pace with the defender’s representatives in England last weekend.

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Timber, described as a ‘top talent’, as per the official UEFA Champions League Twitter channel, can play anywhere across the back four and is valued at a career-high £27m by Transfermarkt.

The Latest: Almeida’s update

Almeida took to Twitter on late on Friday evening to provide a Manchester United transfer update.

He revealed that a move for Timber is ‘practically’ done, adding that the club are now turning their attention to Villarreal’s Pau Torres.

The Verdict: New partnership?

Although Timber can play as a full-back, Ten Hag mainly used the Netherlands international at centre-back last season. He made 38 appearances at the heart of the defence and just five at right-back, helping Ajax to the Eredivisie title, conceding just 19 times in 34 games.

It looks as if he will become the club’s first major signing of the Ten Hag era, and with United now looking at a move for another centre-back in Torres, that could spell trouble for the likes of Harry Maguire, who was heavily criticised last season.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman. 

Newcastle have been hit with a frustrating injury setback as an update has emerged regarding Ryan Fraser…

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe revealed in his pre-match press conference that the Scotland international is set to miss out this weekend.

The Magpies travel to face Burnley in their final Premier League match of the campaign later today, and it appears as though they will have to make do without the 28-year-old.

After the press conference, journalist Jordan Cronin tweeted: “Ryan Fraser felt his hamstring again versus Arsenal and is unlikely to feature.”

Supporters will be gutted

This injury update will surely leave Newcastle supporters gutted, as it means that they will now have to wait until next season to watch the winger in action again.

Fraser has not started a game for the Magpies since 8 April against Wolves, while he came on as a substitute in the recent 2-0 win over Arsenal. This latest claim means that his next start will not be until August at the earliest, hopefully after a strong pre-season without any fitness issues.

After a difficult start to the campaign under Steve Bruce, the ex-Bournemouth man then found his feet on Tyneside and showed signs of promise out wide. He has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.86 across 27 appearances this term, chipping in with two goals and three assists along the way.

The winger was not at his blistering best all the way through the campaign, as shown by the statistics, but he came alive in flashes. This indicates that the potential is there for him to play a big role for the club next season if he is able to maintain his fitness.

In the 2018/19 campaign, Fraser managed seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League for Bournemouth. This proves that the talent is there and that Howe has previously been able to unlock it on the south coast, which is why there may be hope that the 44-year-old can do so again.

Newcastle supporters will be keen for the Scottish wide man to hit the ground running next season so that they can see him scoring and setting up goals on a regular basis. That is why this latest blow for the 28-year-old is a frustrating one which will leave the Toon Army gutted ahead of today’s clash, as he will not be able to go into the summer on a high.

AND in other news, “Sources at Newcastle”: Huge transfer update emerges that’ll leave supporters gutted…

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Liverpool to complete a surprising swap deal involving Sadio Mane and Serge Gnabry this summer.

The Lowdown: Both players out of contract next year

The 30-year-old is approaching the final 12 months of his current contract at Anfield, and according to Sky Germany, Bayern Munich are interested in signing the Reds forward during the upcoming transfer window.

Gnabry’s deal with the German giants at the Allianz is also set to expire at the end of next season, and following reports that he is considering a Bundesliga exit amid interest from potential suitors around Europe, this has created the possibility of an exchange between clubs, if both players do indeed leave their current teams.

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The Latest: Swap deal on the table?

When asked during an interview with Football Insider whether or not there could be any good value in a swap deal for the Merseyside outfit, Campbell said it would be a ‘great signing’.

“That could be worth pursuing.

“Gnabry is going to be a sought-after player this summer. I know there is a lot of clubs who like him.

“He is a player who will be hotly pursued because he is still relatively young. We are talking about a Germany international who can play on either side, score goals, is quick and direct.

“He would be a great signing for Liverpool. There will be a lot of competition for Gnabry though. I think Arsenal would like to speak to him if there is an opportunity.”

The Verdict: Would be a shock to lose Mane

There’s no doubt that Gnabry would be a great signing for any team considering how much of a threat he can pose in the final third, having already found the back of the net 17 times and registered ten assists across all competitions for Bayern so far this season, as per Transfermarkt.

However, despite not getting any younger, Mane would be a huge loss to Jurgen Klopp, as he has been part of the furniture in the Reds’ starting XI since joining in a £34m move from Southampton back in 2016.

During his time at Anfield, the Senegalese superstar has made a staggering 267 club appearances and has recorded 167 goal contributions, and even though the likes of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have now provided serious competition for places upfront, Mane still has a hugely integral role to play in leading the line for Liverpool for at least a few more years to come.

In other news… an exciting Reds youngster looks set to leave the club this summer.

Leeds United are falling behind in the race to land Boubacar Kamara in the summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that Aston Villa have now entered into negotiations with the Olympique de Marseille defensive midfielder concerning a switch to Villa Park on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign – with this news likely to come as a blow to Victor Orta and the Whites, who were linked with a move for the 22-year-old back in January.

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The report goes on to state that Steven Gerrard’s side are also interested in the possibility of signing the likes of Atletico Madrid’s Geoffrey Kondogbia, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma and Leeds’ own Kalvin Phillips this summer.

Dream Phillips replacement

Considering the sheer amount of potential it is clear Kamara possesses, in addition to the fact that Phillips has been heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, the argument that Orta must sanction a swoop for the former France U21 international at the end of the season is an easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 32 Ligue 1 appearances this term, the £22.5m-rated midfielder has been in sensational form for Jorge Sampaoli’s side, scoring one goal and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 63.5 passes and winning 4.9 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

These returns have seen the £46k-per-week talent who Rolando dubbed a “phenomenon” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.14, ranking him as OM’s second-best player in the French top flight.

In comparison, over Phillips’ 17 Premier League fixtures this season, the £60m valued midfielder has registered one assist and created one big chance, in addition to making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 38.1 passes and winning 4.6 duels – at a success rate of 45% – per game.

These returns have seen the £38k-per-week England international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.82, ranking him as Jesse Marsch’s ninth-best performer in the English top flight.

As such, while it is undeniable that injury has hampered Phillips’ campaign severely this season, after looking at the respective midfielder’s stats, it is clear to see that Kamara would be something of a dream replacement for the potentially outbound 26-year-old, leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Orta must do everything in his power to beat Aston Villa to the signing of the Frenchman on a free this summer.

AND in other news: Leeds now plotting bid for “fabulous” £45k-p/w target, Orta should “take him all day”

Wolves are reportedly interested in making a move for Rangers winger Ryan Kent this summer as Bruno Lage looks to strengthen his squad.

The Lowdown: Kent shines for Rangers

The 25-year-old has been one of the Gers’ star players in recent years, providing endless quality from what is invariably a left-sided attacking role.

Kent has scored 30 goals and registered 47 assists in 171 appearances for the Scottish Premiership giants, once being hailed as a ‘constant threat’ by Steven Gerrard.

It may be that the former Liverpool winger feels that a new challenge is required this summer, and a return to England could be on the cards.

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The Latest: Wolves eye up move

According to 90min, Wolves have expressed an interest in snapping up Kent in the summer transfer window, with his current deal expiring in 2023.

Leeds United are seen as the front-runners to sign him, though, with Everton and Fulham also mentioned in the report.

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The Verdict: Is he good enough?

While Kent has clearly shone in Scotland, the one concern over Wolves signing him is whether or not the step up to the Premier League is too great for him.

He probably wouldn’t come in as a regular starter if he joined the Old Gold, with Pedro Neto arguably a higher calibre of player, but he could be a strong squad option off the substitutes’ bench.

Kent’s direct running and end product could be a nightmare for tiring legs in games and it is this depth that Wolves need if they are to go up another gear this season. Signing him would therefore be shrewd business, as long as Wanderers don’t pay over the odds.

In other news, Wolves are the front-runners to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United are reportedly interested in bringing Ajax striker Sebastien Haller to Old Trafford this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to reports by the Daily Mail, who claimed that the former West Ham striker could be given another crack at the Premier League under his current Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag.

A report from The Sun stated that the Ivorian would be available for around £35m if Ten Hag opts to bring Haller to Old Trafford with him.

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Berbatov 2.0

Haller was dubbed a flop after his spell at West Ham was not as prosperous as he would have liked, although he still scored goals in his first season in a team which did not play to his strengths.

His move to Ajax in 2021 shocked some, with many perhaps believing that he did not possess the calibre to play for such a prestigious club.

Ten Hag knew exactly what he was doing, though. He was bringing in an accomplished poacher who had bagged 16 for fellow Eredivise club Utrecht across 98 appearances in three seasons.

Ten Hag placed him up top and has not looked back since, with the 27-year-old putting in some outstanding performances for Ajax over the past season-and-a-half.

Haller – who has been dubbed a “hero” by journalist Yaw Ampofo Jr on Twitter – has netted 152 goals in his career, with third-highest scorer in the competition for 2021/22 just behind Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.

His 20 goals and seven assists in 27 games this season would suggest that he could be United’s new Dimitar Berbatov-type figure.

Playing in an Ajax side which has averaged 67.3% possession this season, the Ivorian has proven that he is comfortable with the ball, averaging around seven touches per game in the opponents penalty area and completing a successful dribble percentage of 60%. The latter percentage places him in and around the elite category compared to positionally similar players in the top 5 leagues, according to FBRef.

His ball control is not quite as prestigious as what Berbatov offered in his heyday, but not many have matched the Bulgarian’s touch.

What will delight fans, and what represents a difference between Berbatov and Haller, is the Ivorian’s work rate in the attacking third.

Operating in a high-pressing Ajax side, it was always a given that the latter would be expected to press from the front, and he has established himself as one of the best in the world at doing just that. Haller averages around 17 pressures per 90, with ten of these pressures coming in the attacking third.

The former West Ham flop has rejuvinated his career at Ajax and proven himself to be a creative and well-rounded goal machine.

It is no wonder that Ten Hag is reportedly interested in signing what could be United’s new Berbatov-esque presence in attack.

In other news – Fewer touches than De Gea: Man Utd flop with just 12 passes must never play again