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A big claim has emerged on Leeds United and their efforts to keep Raphinha at Elland Road during the upcoming summer transfer window. 

What’s the talk?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Whites are putting up a fight to ward off interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.

He tweeted:

“Not less than €55m, no payments in many years/installments. Leeds have not changed their conditions for Raphinha’s transfer. #LUFC Barcelona are in advanced talks with the player since February, but talks with Leeds are definitely not easy.”

Jesse Marsch will be buzzing

Leeds head coach Jesse March will surely be buzzing with this claim for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it proves that Victor Orta is not going to be a pushover when it comes to selling the club’s best players during the window. The Leeds chief will not allow Barcelona to walk over them and snap Raphinha up for a fee that does not represent a worthwhile deal.

Retaining their Premier League status on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign means that they are under no financial pressure to sell. It may have been a different story if the club were dropping down to the Championship and needed to cash in on assets to maintain their finances but that is not the case.

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Marsch will be feeling relieved knowing that Orta will not be selling Raphinha, or any of his other players, in cut-price deals that will limit the money he can spend on their potential replacements.

He will also be buzzing as this stance seemingly increases the club’s chances of keeping hold of Raphinha. The Brazilian is a significant player for the Lillywhites and retaining his services would be a huge boost for the head coach.

In the Premier League, the winger produced 11 goals and three assists in 35 appearances as he dragged the team to safety with his silky skills and composed finishes. This came after he managed six goals and nine assists in his debut campaign in England, showing that he has the quality to both score and assist goals in the top-flight.

Therefore, Marsch will be delighted by the prospect of keeping him as he has the potential to be a huge player for the club again next term. He is a proven performer in the division and can be a match-winner with his quality in the final third, as shown by his impressive statistics.

AND in other news, Orta can seal “outstanding” Raphinha replacement with Leeds bid for £72k-p/w “machine”…

West Ham United manager David Moyes has set his sights on a potential ‘huge’ signing for the club, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Big summer ahead…

The 2022 summer transfer window officially swings open tomorrow and it’s safe to say this could be West Ham’s biggest one in years.

Having just missed out on a place in the Premier League top six last season to Manchester United, Moyes had to settle for a place in the Europa Conference League with there being no prospect of a dream Europa League journey next campaign.

The Hammers went on an unprecedented run to the semi-finals over 2021/2022, eventually falling to Eintracht Frankfurt, and supporters will be hoping they can build upon that with a memorable domestic campaign over 22/23.

West Ham will need reinforcements to compete with England’s elite, though, with 90min reporter Toby Cudworth now sharing news on a familiar face targeted personally by Moyes.

The Latest: Moyes eyeing Lingard move…

As per the journalist (via Twitter), West Ham are still eyeing a Bosman move for Jesse Lingard with the 29-year-old now confirmed to be leaving Manchester United upon the expiry of his contract.

Cudworth explained that ‘Moyes loves him’ and their interest in sealing a return for the Englishman is ‘unchanged’.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Lingard shone on a temporary spell at the London Stadium over 2020/2021, scoring nine goals and assisting four others in 16 top flight starts under Moyes.

He also received praise from members of the West Ham squad during his time at Rush Green and it’s safe to say he took to Claret and Blue like a duck to water.

Fitting in seamlessly for Moyes, re-signing the attacker permanently for zero transfer cost comes a s a real no-brainer, especially given members of the media have called Lingard a potential ‘huge’ signing for West Ham (Paul Robinson, Football Insider).

In other news: West Ham officials dispatched as GSB eye ‘superstar’ signing for Moyes! Find out more here.

Aston Villa are closing in on the permanent signing of goalkeeper Robin Olsen, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the word?

As per the transfer insider, the Midlands outfit appear keen to exercise the buy option in the Swede’s loan deal, with the 32-year-old having joined the club on a temporary switch from Serie A side AS Roma back in January.

Writing on Twitter about the situation regarding the 56-cap international, Romano revealed that an agreement is close: “Aston Villa are getting closer to find full agreement with AS Roma on Robin Olsen deal. Buy option clause for €3.5m expected to be triggered soon, as Aston Villa want to keep Olsen at the club. Talks in progress, the deal could be completed soon.”

The £1.8m-rated giant had spent the first half of the 2021/22 season on loan at Championship outfit Sheffield United, prior to moving to Villa Park, having also played the role of understudy to Jordan Pickford at Everton the year prior.

Supporters delighted

It may not prove to be quite as exciting as the club’s other summer business – having already snapped up Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos and Philippe Coutinho – yet supporters will no doubt be delighted to see the proactive attitude to Steven Gerrard’s squad rebuild, with the former Rangers boss seemingly wanting to get his transfer dealings done swiftly.

With further additions also in the pipeline, amid links to soon-to-be free agent Luis Suarez, the former England skipper appears to be receiving substantial backing in order to put his stamp on the squad, with expectations for next term now likely to have sky-rocketed.

As for Olsen, there may not be too many fireworks over a player who was technically already at the club and had made just a solitary Premier League appearance during his six-month loan stint, although he will no doubt provide quality cover to undisputed first-choice, Emi Martinez.

The 6 foot 5 stopper’s solitary top-flight outing came in that remarkable final-day defeat to eventual champions Manchester City at the Etihad, with the visitors squandering a two-goal to help hand Pep Guardiola’s men the title.

The one-time Malmo man had hardly been culpable for any of City’s excellently crafted goals – nor did he deserve to be on the receiving of an awful, post-match assault from a home supporter – with Villa’s problems this term having largely been among the defence, rather than between the sticks – shipping 54 goals in the most recent campaign.

A veteran at international level, Olsen also provides valuable experience to a dressing room that is beginning to overflow with top-class talent, with his presence in the dressing room potentially set to prove vital next term.

As for supporters, they will likely be glad to see the deal wrapped up quickly, so that the club can prioritise other areas of need.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts faces uncertainty over his future at the Stadium of Light, with his current deal set to expire in the summer.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Chronicle Live, Roberts remains coy over his future and is uncertain of where his career will take him next.

After Sunderland secured promotion in a 2-0 win over Wycombe on Saturday, Roberts insisted that he would just enjoy the moment, with the short term contract that he signed in January nearing its expiration.

Asked what was next, the 25-year-old said: “I’ve no idea to be honest, that’s for the next few weeks.

“I’ll just enjoy tonight and do whatever I can see what happens. We’ll have a few drinks and a lot of partying. You’ve got to enjoy these moments. I think Sunderland fans will enjoy theirs more.”

“I’ve only been here six months but you can see since the manager has came in, all the players have come in and the ones that are here, it means a lot. At the start of the season we had a rocky period with everything going on, we’ve steadied ourselves, got the wins and results and we can enjoy tonight and the summer.”

Neil must keep Roberts

Having scored the vital goal in the second-leg of the League One play-off semi-final, and having performed as a big threat against Wycombe on Saturday, Roberts has been first-class for Sunderland and has acted as the cherry on top for a well-versed Black Cats side who all seem to be on the same page.

Since his switch to Sunderland in January, the former Manchester City prospect has created 15 chances at a rate of 2.2 chances per game, with two of these being big chances.

Having featured 17 times for Neil’s side since January, Roberts has been a first-team regular and a key part of their promotion push which has now landed them Championship football for next season.

For a player who still has a lot more to give and possesses skills akin to technical excellence, Neil should not be messing around with a player who was deemed “one of the hottest talents in England” at the age of 17, and should consequently offer the 25-year-old a new deal.

In other news: Neil already heading for big summer disaster on SAFC’s star talent “who truly gets it” 

Liverpool will offer Sadio Mane a new contract this summer but he won’t be offered extortionate wages, according to a fresh update on the situation.

The Lowdown: Mane saga goes on

While Mohamed Salah’s future is dominating a lot of the headlines at the moment, there is also constant speculation surrounding Mane’s.

The Senegalese sensation is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of next season, and as of yet, his representatives and the club haven’t reached an agreement over an extension.

Now, another key update has surfaced regarding Mane’s next chapter.

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The Latest: Offer incoming

According to Football Insider, a Liverpool source has informed them that a fresh contract offer will come Mane’s way at the end of the season.

It is stated that FSG won’t ‘break the bank’ to keep hold of the Senegal superstar, however, which has the potential to be a stumbling block if another club offers more.

The Verdict: Simply have to keep him

Assuming Mane wants to stay at Liverpool, giving him a new deal is an absolute no-brainer this summer, with the attacker hailed as ‘world-class’ by Jurgen Klopp.

He has scored 15 Premier League goals in 31 starts this season and is already flourishing in the new central role he has taken up since Luis Diaz arrived.

It would be a massive blow to lose Mane at this point in his career, with the Reds legend more than capable of remaining at the very top for several more years, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema still at their peak in their mid-30s.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a big-name player. Find out who it is here.

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a move to sign Tom Lawrence on a free transfer in the summer.

The Lowdown: Lampard favourite

The 28-year-old is a player that Frank Lampard knows very well from his time in charge at Derby County.

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The winger did not miss a game in the Championship under the current Toffees manager when he was available, scoring seven goals and providing a further five assists in 39 matches across all competitions in the 2018/19 season (Transfermarkt).

Lawrence heaped praise on Lampard during the 43-year-old’s time at Pride Park, and it is clear that the two have a very good relationship.

The Latest: Everton interest in Lawrence

As per The Daily Mail, Everton are among a number of clubs who are interested in signing Lawrence for free this summer, given that he will be out of contract.

Leeds United, Fulham, Burnley, Norwich City, Watford and Anderlecht are also thought to be keen, amid question marks over whether he would want to play in League One given Derby’s relegation this year.

The Verdict: Smart signing

Given that he would be signing on a free transfer, and that Lampard knows him well, Lawrence would certainly be a smart signing by the Merseyside club.

Dubbed ‘magnificent’ by his current boss and former Everton player Wayne Rooney earlier this season after two goals in an impressive performance against promotion hopefuls Sheffield United, the Wales international managed 11 strikes and five assists in the Championship for the relegated Rams (Transfermarkt).

As their captain, Lawrence also possesses leadership qualities that would be useful in a dressing room which has also been under threat of relegation, and at 28 years of age, this summer presents the perfect time for Everton to snap him up.

In other news, Everton are now battling with Liverpool to sign this predator

Burnley defender James Tarkowski is thought to be bound for Newcastle United this summer, The Daily Mirror’s James Nursey reports. 

The lowdown

The centre-back’s Burnley contract is due to expire at the end of the 2021/22 season.

And The Athletic recently reported that he definitively ‘will leave’, having ‘made his intentions clear’ to the club hierarchy.

Newcastle did sign a centre-half in January in the form of Brighton’s Dan Burn, who cost £13million.

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The latest

Nursey tweeted on Friday lunchtime that West Ham United have chosen to ‘end their interest in free agent’ Tarkowski because ‘they expect him to go to Newcastle’.

In the attached story, he explains that West Ham are ‘long-term admirers’ of the Englishman, but that Eddie Howe is ‘desperate’ to land a new centre-back this summer.

The Irons have now decided to move onto other targets, with Tarkowski set to secure a significant boost to his £50,000-per-week salary when he joins Newcastle.

The verdict

This looks like intelligent business from Newcastle.

Tarkowski is a £19.8million-rated asset with 192 games of Premier League experience and two caps for England, and they’re seemingly getting him on a free transfer.

He’s regarded as a ‘top player’ by his former team-mate Paul Robinson and ex-manager Sean Dyche.

And he’s simply a monster when it comes to aerial duels, winning 4.4 per game (70%) compared to 3.3 (66%) for 6 foot 7 defender Burn.

Indeed, according to WhoScored, only two players in the league – Ivan Toney and Ethan Pinnock – have won more per 90 this season.

Howe reportedly has a budget of less than £90million at his disposal for the summer window, and this deal will allow him to tick an important box without eating into it.

In other news, this man is now ‘set to leave’ SJP in the summer. 

Tottenham Hotspur will look to solve Antonio Conte’s wing-back woes with Joakim Maehle this summer…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the north London outfit are lining up a move for Atalanta star, who is viewed as a perfect fit for the Italian head coach and after striking success with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, sporting director Fabio Paratici could return to the Serie A for another signing.

It remains to be seen how much the 24-year-old would command, though CIES Football Observatory value him at €50m (£45m).

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Dream Conte wing-back

Conte has endured a torrid time with his wide options this campaign.

On the left, injuries have seen both Sergio Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon struggle to sustain a consistent run in the side, both also lacking in form, whilst on the right, Emerson’s maiden campaign in the Premier League has largely been woeful with Matt Doherty’s season ended by an MCL injury.

The Denmark international first caught the eye of many during Euro 2020 as he impressed at left wing-back on their way to the semi-final, where they were defeated by Harry Kane’s England.

He has delivered nine goals from 25 caps at international level.

Meanwhile, a career average of 0.9 key passes, 0.9 shots and 1.1 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, further highlights his attacking credentials as a marauding wing-back.

Maehle is capable of getting into the final third often but that doesn’t come at any defensive expense, having also averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions throughout his career.

Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been impressed by his De Rod-Hvide counterpart, once describing him as a “machine” after their 4-1 win over Russia at last summer’s major tournament.

If Conte wants to land an upgrade on the left or right side of the pitch, then they should look no further than the Danish dynamo, who ranks inside the top 10% of all players in his position for progressive passes received (3.67 per 90), thus making him something of a dream option for the Tottenham head coach.

Paratici and co must look to seal Maehle this off-season.

AND in other news, Forget Son: “Sensational” Spurs titan who had 11 clearances stole the show at Anfield…

Newcastle United no doubt had a questionable recruitment record during the Mike Ashley era, with Gabriel Obertan one such acquisition which simply failed to work out for all concerned.

Part of an influx of French talent that arrived through the door during Alan Pardew’s tenure as manager, the winger was signed from fellow Premier League side Manchester United in the summer of 2011, arriving at St James’ Park for a fee of around £3m.

While a relatively small risk move due to the relatively minor transfer fee, it was still a rather bizarre switch at the time considering the Paris-born dud’s struggles during his time at Old Trafford, in which he scored just once in 27 games after joining the Red Devils in 2009.

Although lauded as an “exciting prospect” by Sir Alex Ferguson, the Frenchman never looked of the quality needed to make the grade at the Theatre of Dreams, with journalist Richard Williams suggesting that he looked like a “headless chicken” during his stint with United.

The Tynesiders were seemingly keen to take a leap of faith regardless and bring the struggling youngster to the northeast, albeit with that decision notably backfiring as he went on to endure a dismal, injury-plagued stint at the club.

The 6 foot 1 menace would score just three goals in 77 games during his time at Newcastle, with that fact ensuring that he cost the club £1m for each goal scored in relation to his initial transfer fee.

Throughout his five-year stint with the Magpies, the former France U21 international only once made more than 15 league appearances in a single league campaign, having notably been restricted to just three top-flight outings during the 2013/14 season.

Unable to sell the struggling wide man, Ashley and co were left to rue their earlier decision to hand the player a lengthy, five-year deal, with Obertan only finally departing in the summer of 2016 once his contract had expired.

Since that long overdue exit, the now 33-year-old has had brief spells at a number of clubs both in Europe and abroad, turning out for Anzi Makhachkala, Wigan Athletic, Levski Sofia and Erzurumspor.

The £293k-rated veteran currently plies his trade for lower-league American outfit, Charlotte Independence, where he briefly played alongside former Magpies teammate and compatriot, Sylvain Marveaux.

Obertan has certainly not gone on to prove any Newcastle doubters wrong over the past six years, with it having been a sad decline for a player of such promise in his youth.

Wolves perhaps always knew they were onto a good thing when they signed Ruben Neves from Porto in a record transfer for the Championship in 2017.

The midfielder joined the Old Gold in a deal worth £15.8m and has been a mainstay at Molineux ever since, making 219 appearances in all competitions, in which he has contributed 25 goals and 12 assists.

After helping Wolves to promotion in his first season with the club, he has established himself as one of the top midfielders outside of the Premier League’s ‘big six’ and recently earned a promotion of his own, stepping up as Conor Coady’s replacement as captain in Bruno Lage’s side.

It is somewhat of a surprise that he remained with the club this summer, as he implied at the end of last season that it may be time for a change, while top Premier League clubs were linked with his signing.

However, Lage suggested that Wolves value the Portugal international at £100m; and had they sold him for that price, it would have been a 633% increase on the fee that they paid in 2017, which certainly represents good business by the club to get him in for the amount that they did.

Neves is currently ranked as the top performer in Wolves’ squad after averaging an impressive 7.37 rating from WhoScored for his Premier League performances, which emphasises how important he is in Lage’s team.

His one goal this season, one of just three scored by the Old Gold in the top flight, was a trademark screamer from outside the penalty box, something that Wolves fans have become well accustomed to seeing during his time at the club.

With comments which still ring true today, Darren Bent was full of praise for Neves in 2019 when he said: “He’s been good, he has scored some world-class goals that people will never forget.

“It’s a testament to Wolves that they’ve managed to hold onto him as there were times when he was one of the best midfield players in the country, he was playing at such a high level, and the fact they have managed to hold onto him and that he is still putting in good performances week-in-week-out, it’s brilliant for them.”

Keeping Neves for the foreseeable future might prove difficult if he maintains his current level of performance, but considering his huge rise in value since signing for Wolves five years ago, there can be no doubt that the club’s former manager Nuno Espirito Santo played a blinder by bringing him to Molineux.