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Nottingham Forest may have a future star in their academy ranks in the form of Northern Ireland prospect, Dale Taylor.

The 18-year-old has already made Steve Cooper’s bench in the Championship game that saw Forest beat Swansea City 5-1, but has played the majority of his football with the U18s, as well as the U23s in Premier League 2.

Despite losing to Manchester United in the FA Youth Cup Final, the 18-year-old was able to paint himself in a positive light, with Nottinghamshire Post giving him a rating of 7.5 in the 3-1 loss, stating: “Has bags of potential and embraced playing on the big stage. Didn’t go his, or Forest’s, way on this occasion – but the future is bright. Rating: 7.5/10”

As per the same source, Taylor was also listed as one of three players who give reason for optimism, with this list compiling players “that could be involved in the first-team in the near future.” His performance had the media outlet waxing lyrical, with Matt Lee of Nottinghamshire Live saying this:

“His physicality made him difficult to mark and it could be argued that he is – slightly – similar to the attacking profile of Kienan Davis. With strength, pace and the occasional display of skill to his disposal, Taylor spreads fear through defenders’ minds as he bears towards goal.

“He has been involved in Steve Cooper’s first-team squad in recent weeks and has already made his senior Northern Ireland debut. If you had to put money on one of these players having a lasting role at Forest, Taylor would be the front-runner.”

Despite not yet making a first-team appearance for Cooper’s Tricky Trees, Taylor has already earned his first cap for Northern Ireland, playing in the same team as Jonny Evans, Stuart Dallas and Paddy McNair against Lithuania.

With “one to look out for”, as put by The Athletic’s Paul Taylor on Twitter.

In other news: Nottingham Forest plotting bid for superb 25-goal “engine”, he could replace Garner 

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has decided to leave Anfield for a new challenge, with Bayern Munch the leading contenders for his signature.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted to say that Mane has “decided to leave” following the Champions League final and is ready for a new challenge.

“Sadio Mané has decided to leave Liverpool this summer.

“He’s ready for a new experience after many special years with Reds – it will be confirmed to the club.

“FC Bayern are strong contenders – but it’s still open and not completed as Sadio wanted to wait for the final.”

It is set to be confirmed by the club soon with German side Bayern Munich strong contenders to secure his signature. The news comes after the player said he would give an update on his future after Saturday’s final, in which the Reds lost 1-0.

It was reported recently that Bundesliga champions Bayern were in pole position to sign him, with a fee as little as £25.5m stated due to the fact the 30-year-olds contract is running down.

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Supporters will be gutted

For Liverpool supporters, this is their worst nightmare come true. Although they knew that one day Mane would depart for pastures new, many won’t have thought it would have come this soon.

He made the move to Merseyside in the summer of 2016 for £34m from Southampton. In many ways he represents the beginning of the Jurgen Klopp revolution that has seen The Reds lift their first ever Premier League title, and appear in three Champions League finals in five years, one of which they won.

His overall record at Anfield is out of this world with 168 direct goal contributions in 269 games. Those are numbers that will be hard for anyone new to repeat, but they’ll have to do all they can to recruit a ready made replacement.

He’s considered one of the greatest in Europe right now, and ranks in the top 5% for goals when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.

Along with Mohamed Salah he has become key to the success on the pitch and they will find it difficult to replace him. Does this mark the beginning of the end of Klopp’s tenure?

Well with the German recently signing a new deal we think not, but what he’s now tasked with is refreshing the squad whilst ensuring the levels of success don’t drop.

He’ll no doubt go down as a legend for Liverpool, but it seems as though we have seen him wear the famous red shirt for the final time.

AND in other news: Liverpool now eyeing £27m-rated “phenomenon”, could be their perfect Mane replacement…

Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino is now ‘closing in’ on an Anfield exit and it could be done ‘quickly’, according to reliable journalist David Lynch.

The Lowdown: Bit-part player

The 27-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League when he joined the Merseyside outfit from Red Bull Salzburg back in 2019, where he’s since gone on to make 55 first-team appearances for the club to date.

Having only played 11 times in the top-flight this season however, there is plenty of speculation that the Japanese gem could be looking for a move elsewhere during the upcoming window, and following a fresh update, it appears as though that is exactly what he’s doing.

The Latest: Lynch drops Minamino update

In a new post on his personal Twitter account, Lynch revealed that Minamino’s agent has travelled to Europe to find out more information about the interest that multiple clubs have registered in his client. He wrote:

“Takumi Minamino closing in on an LFC departure with his agent having flown to Europe to field interest from Leeds, Southampton, Wolves, Fulham and Monaco. Situation likely to be resolved quickly – Liverpool hoping to secure £17m.”

The Verdict: Ward not messing around

After making just one start in the Premier League for the Reds this campaign, it comes as no surprise to see the 40-cap international seriously considering his next steps.

Even though he’s been pretty low down in the manager’s pecking order, the former Salzburg maestro was once hailed an “unbelievable” player by teammate Joe Gomez. He has also shown how prolific he can be in the final third when given a proper run in the starting XI, having racked up four goals and one assist in just five EFL Cup games, as per Transfermarkt, and he deserves to be a regular starter somewhere.

And new sporting director Julian Ward will need to get to work on sales as the Reds close in on the expensive capture of Darwin Nunez. Ward is expected to cash in on Neco Williams for around £15m, Sadio Mane for £42.5m and now Minamino for £17m, which would go a considerable distance to covering most or even all of the Nunez fee.

Assuming the Reds can bank an eight-figure fee for his services, this feels like a win-win for both player and club, and the first step in Ward proving he can bank huge money from sales just like his predecessor Michael Edwards.

In other news… the Reds are now ‘close’ to reaching an agreement to sign a new attacking addition to their squad.

Leeds United target Tyler Adams is considering a move away from RB Leipzig this summer, according to German outlet Kicker, cited by Derek Rae. 

The lowdown: Whites interested

Recently, reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that Leeds are interested in Adams and said that the ‘relationship is great’ between the defensive midfielder and Jesse Marsch.

The American pair were together at the New York Red Bulls in the MLS and German Bundesliga outfit Leipzig, with the 23-year-old making 71 appearances under the now Elland Road head coach.

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Following the initial tentative links last week, now it appears that the USA international could well be open to the idea of a change of scenery…

The latest: ‘Considering a change’

As per Kicker, cited by ESPN’s Bundesliga commentator Rae on Twitter, Leeds could be boosted by Adams’ plans in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the 28-cap USA star is ‘considering a change’ having fallen down the pecking order at Leipzig and Marsch is ‘said to be interested’ in making a move – they do not name any other interested suitors.

Rae’s tweet reads: “Kicker reporting on Leipzig’s central midfield “Baustelle” (building site) & only Kevin Kampl’s future appears clear. USMNT’s Tyler Adams, who has ceased to be a regular under Domenico Tedesco, giving thought to a move. Apparent interest from Jesse Marsch & Leeds Utd.”

The verdict: More the merrier

With former Marsch charges Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen already through the entrance door at Elland Road, it should come as no surprise to see yet more players already associated with the 48-year-old being linked with a Yorkshire arrival.

Predominantly operating as a defensive-minded midfielder, there will be concerns as to whether Adams is being looked upon as a potential Kalvin Phillips successor as the England ace continues to be extensively indexed to Premier League champions Manchester City.

However, a top-class operator in his own right, the combative American was heralded as a ‘remarkable midfielder’ by journalist Jeff Reuter recently, starring in the 2021/22 German Cup campaign with a 7.40 Sofascore rating and a staggering 7.80 duels won per game.

Already an experienced operator at the top level, regardless of Phillips’ future at Leeds, Marsch and Victor Orta should be pushing Andrea Radrizzani to sanction the funds required to make this deal a reality.

In other news: Leeds now eyeing move for ‘lethal and sublime’ gem, read more here

Fabio Paratici has been hard at work this summer with Tottenham to improve the team ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The former Juventus chief has brought in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma to bolster the squad before pre-season has even begun.

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With a Champions League group to prepare for, Spurs may want to add more players to the group and they have been linked with a host of talented gems in recent weeks.

Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold recently claimed that the club have a long-standing interest in Leicester City talent James Maddison.

Antonio Conte’s own Mason Mount

In securing a deal for the midfielder, bought for £25m from Norwich in 2018, Paratici can land the Italian head coach his own version of Chelsea’s Mason Mount.

The obvious comparisons are there; English, young, attacking midfielders, can score goals, can assist, and have flair.

In the Premier League last season, Mount produced 11 goals and ten assists for Thomas Tuchel – averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.43.

The England international has proven that he can score and assist on a regular basis in the top-flight as he has made himself an integral part of a Champions League outfit – winning the competition in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Leicester man also caught the eye with a stunning campaign under Brendan Rodgers with the Foxes…

As you can see in the graphic above, the 25-year-old was outstanding in the final third as he managed 20 direct goal contributions in the Premier League – one less than Mount had for Chelsea.

Maddison was once dubbed a “genius” by BBC Norfolk’s Rob Butler and England boss Gareth Southgate once claimed that his set-piece delivery is “world-class”, showing that he has caught the attention of pundits and managers alike in his career.

The gem also caught the eye in Europe last term, producing one goal and two assists in three Europa League starts before plundering three goals in five Europa Conference League starts for the Foxes.

His statistics, domestically and in Europe, suggest that he has the quality to make the step up to play for a top-six side as his return in the Premier League is similar to Mount’s for Chelsea.

Therefore, Paratici would land Conte his own version of the 23-year-old Cobham star by snapping Maddison up from Leicester and he must now get a deal over the line for the former Norwich man.

AND in other news, Spurs now in pole position to sign £20m monster with “no nerves”, he’s Vertonghen 2.0…

TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has delivered a significant verdict on the future of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

A transfer target for Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United as well as La Liga giants Barcelona, Neves could be set to be at the centre of a prolonged bidding war this summer.

This comes after the 25-year-old himself suggested that a five-year spell at Molineux could be coming to an end after the 2021/22 campaign in order to ‘live his football dreams’ away from the Midlands club.

Despite the apparent desire to move on swiftly, Neves – who was lauded by journalist Ryan Leister for a ‘magnificent’ display over Burton Albion in 2018 and has kept that form up ever since – is yet to attract the offers that the Wolves hierarchy would deem suitable to sanction the departure of its £36million valued prized asset.

The latest: Fosun open to selling

Albeit no such bids have been forthcoming and the main protagonists for the capture, Barcelona, remain in a financial conundrum, Crook has told Give Me Sport that the exit remains inevitable and club chiefs are even ‘open’ to it.

He said: “I think they’re going to lose Ruben Neves; they’re resigned to that.

“They’re going to get decent money, and I think they’re almost open to it because the owners want them to be self-sufficient, so they’re not just going to pump money in. If they sell Neves, it will allow them to sign a couple of players – Palhinha would be one.”

The verdict: Sooner the better

If indeed Neves is destined to no longer represent the Old Gold next season, something he has done with rich acclaim on 212 occasions until now, all parties should want the situation resolved as swiftly as possible in order to get their own ducks in a row as an early pre-season looms.

For Wolves and Bruno Lage, the framework after the sale will be to find a successor, with Matheus Nunes and the aforementioned Joao Palhinha seemingly the frontrunners to be tasked with filling the boots of the Portugal international.

That said, given Neves’ importance and continued output at the top level, Fosun will not be held to ransom over their 30-cap man and will hold out for what they believe to be a fair price for the cultured midfielder.

In other news, one player has reportedly edged closer to a move to Wolves. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are reportedly plotting a move for Sassuolo striker Giacomo Raspadori, as David Moyes looks to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Hammers have made contact with the Serie A side regarding a potential deal for the 22-year-old – as well as teammate Gianluca Scamacca – with a new centre-forward addition firmly on the agenda.

The east London side have already wrapped up the summer arrival of centre-back Nayef Aguerd, although additional transfers are seemingly in the offing, amid reports that Moyes and co are seeking a further six new signings.

As per this latest report, a new striker is a ‘priority’ this summer, with the club looking to ease the burden on current number nine Michail Antonio, with the 32-year-old currently the only recognised centre-forward in the first-team squad.

Di Canio 2.0

That reported interest in the €35m (£30m) Raspadori comes following what was another impressive campaign for the Italy international, as he netted ten league goals and provided a further six assists in 36 league outings.

The £25.2m-rated gem had burst onto the scene the year prior after scoring six times in 27 league appearances, with that form seeing him thrust into Roberto Mancini’s squad at Euro 2020, where the Azzurri ultimately ran out winners.

Such standout form of late has also seen him receive glowing praise from Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali, who said of the £3.2k-per-week starlet: “Raspadori has one quality that makes him stand out among the others: intelligence.

“Giacomo doesn’t have the intelligence of a champion, he has the intelligence of a super champion. This virtue, combined with a special technical talent, makes him absolutely explosive.”

That high praise will no doubt pique the interest of those at the London Stadium, with the hope being that he can emulate another gifted – and at times ‘explosive’ – Italian to have pulled on the claret and blue jersey, Paolo Di Canio.

The fiery maverick was fond of the odd controversial moment or two, although as with most unique talents that came hand in hand with his undoubted genius, with few having stolen the limelight quite so often.

On the pitch, Di Canio was simply a rare gem and arguably the finest player to have been associated with the club in the Premier League era, netting 47 top-flight goals during a stunning four-and-a-half-year spell and developing into a true, club icon in that time.

Of course, he also netted one of the greatest goals that the competition has ever seen with that scissor-kick volley against Wimbledon in March 2000, although that was just the tip of the iceberg as to what the talismanic forward could produce.

He may have been one of a kind, although West Ham could well find a notable heir to his crown in the form of compatriot, Raspadori.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Everton will only sell Anthony Gordon if an ‘absolutely ridiculous’ offer arrives this summer, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Exit links

The 21-year-old was a rare bright spark in a disappointing Toffees outfit last season, featuring 35 times for the first team in the Premier League in a breakout season with four goals and two assists.

As a result of his stunning form in helping the Blues escape the drop, a number of rumours have emerged linking the winger with a move away from Goodison Park.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is said to be interested in a move for the youngster, after seemingly having secured the signing of Blues star Richarlison for an initial £50m fee.

The Latest: ‘Ridiculous money…’

Having faced so many issues over the past year, Jones believes that Gordon’s departure is the last thing Everton need ahead of the new season, claiming Spurs or any other suitor will have to break the bank.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he said: “Everton have had so many problems over the last couple of seasons, especially with the relationship between the club and the fanbase.

“So, if they were to get rid of Anthony Gordon there would be uproar, so I don’t believe they will sell Anthony Gordon unless they get absolutely ridiculous money for him.”

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The Verdict: Keep at all costs

When looking at the 21-year-old’s underlying stats, it is easy to see how he so quickly became a fan-favourite at Goodsion Park.

Compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the Toffees winger ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks, the 96th percentile for tackles and the 94th percentile for pressures (via FB Ref), leading from the front with his exceptional work rate.

With such dire performances from the team last season, it was a breath of fresh air for Blues fans to see the youngster giving it his all on the pitch.

Looking at the long-term, Gordon will surely be a staple in Frank Lampard’s plans, so an exit for the player would be awfully received by everyone at the club.

Glasgow Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are reportedly interested in bringing DR Congo playmaker Theo Bongonda to Ibrox this summer, according to Belgian outlet Footnews.

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed by Genk from fellow Belgian top-flight outfit Zulte Waregem in 2019, Bongonda has also spent time at Celta Vigo and Trabzonspor during his professional career.

The 26-year-old has made 56 direct goal involvements in 111 outings for his current club, taking an overall career tally to 117 combined goals and assists in 289 senior appearances.

Now in the final 12 months of a deal in Belgium (Transfermarkt), Bongonda faces an uncertain future and the Gers could be about to benefit…

The latest: Rangers cited

As per Footnews, Rangers have ‘set their sights’ on the three-cap DR Congo international with a view to making a move during the transfer window.

The Glasgow giants are said to be ‘able to pay a sum between €6-8million for the versatile attacker who was hailed as ‘excellent’ by journalist Raphael Jardon.

It’s also claimed that there is also ‘interest from the United Arab Emirates’ but, Bongonda would ‘rather join a good European club’ at this juncture.

The verdict: Aribo successor?

With talismanic midfielder Joe Aribo set to join Southampton, Van Bronckhorst will need to replenish the Ibrox ranks with similar levels of quality, adaptability and goal contribution as well as a staggering availability record that saw the Nigeria ace play a mammoth 57 matches last term.

Albeit operating predominantly in wide areas, Bongonda can be deployed in central positions and during the 2021/22 campaign, scored 13 times and provided five assists from 43 appearances across all competitions – showcasing his own impressive durability and impact in the final third.

Boasting impressive finishing and long-range shooting attributes (WhoScored), ultimately, signing the Belgium-born star for the mooted asking price would be a smart move from the Rangers hierarchy, particularly given the successful previous track record when snapping up the likes of Ianis Hagi, Kemar Roofe and Fashion Sakala from the Jupiler Pro League.

Harvey White could make his Tottenham Hotspur breakthrough this season, having sat on the periphery of the first-team for a large part of 2022.

The 20-year-old midfield gem is yet to make a senior appearance under manager Antonio Conte, who took the reins back in November, but has been a regular part of his Premier League matchday squads, featuring in 18 of their final 19 matches of the 2021/22 campaign.

Spurs’ young dynamo could be in line for some pitch time during their pre-season training camp in South Korea ahead of the new season, in which the north London outfit will be battling a homegrown quota problem.

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It is why reports have linked them with a move for free agent Jesse Lingard, who left Manchester United this summer after two decades at the club. Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence are other English names to have been mooted with a switch to N17.

However, in White, Conte could already have a bargain solution to the problem and one that could save the club’s owners, the ENIC Group, millions of pounds in transfer fees and wages.

The young Hotspur Way talent was a regular for the U23s in the Premier League 2 last term and was quickly drafted in for three of their Europa Conference League matches.

Conte’s engine room is a pretty stacked armoury right now but White offers that homegrown status that perhaps someone like Pape Matar Sarr doesn’t.

He was held back from going out on loan again after a successful stint at Portsmouth following Oliver Skipp’s season-ending injury last term, so it’s clear that the current managerial staff rate him highly – enough for him to replace the presence of his fellow countryman in the squad.

According to his former boss at Pompey, Danny Cowley, White is a “dream” to work with.

“Harvey is going to be a good player and got real maturity beyond his years. He’s a really intelligent footballer. He watches loads of football, understands it and gets it,” he claimed (via The News).

“You only have to tell him an instruction once. He’s like a sponge and you’ll tell him something once and then he’ll be doing it. He’s so easy to coach, a coach’s dream.”He’s got a great attitude, good pitch coverage now we’re trying to get him used to the combative nature of the transitional game in League One he’s probably not used to in development football.”His stint in League One saw him average 3.4 successful tackles from 5.1 total attempts, as well as 0.7 interceptions and 1.3 blocks every 90 minutes, via WhoScored, which is pretty good going for his first full taste of the men’s game.So, on the above evidence, Conte would be wise to turn to the 20-year-old prodigy in a bid to solve Spurs’ problems with their homegrown quota. White is clearly trusted, so now it’s time to rely on him, especially with so many games on the horizon.

AND in other news, “Spurs want to..”: Fabrizio Romano drops big update that’ll leave supporters buzzing…