All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United are 'one step away' from announcing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount as their first summer signing, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per Sky Sports News, Mount is undergoing a medical ahead of his move to Manchester United in a deal that is worth in the region of £60 million.

The Red Devils has three bids turned down for Mount in the process of trying to secure his signature; however, the £80k-a-week ace now looks set to swap Stamford Bridge for Old Trafford in a high-profile summer signing for Erik Ten Hag's men.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Mason Mount has completed his medical ahead of signing for Man United.

According to The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United midfielder Fred could be shunted out of the exit door at Old Trafford once Mount finalises his move to the Premier League giants, with Fulham believed to be keen on his services.

Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay have also been linked with moves elsewhere this summer, though there is pessimism that another midfielder besides Mount would be affordable for Manchester United.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has detailed that Manchester United are nearly there as they prepare to officially capture Mount from Chelsea.

Jones stated: "An announcement is prepped and soon he will be getting the 'Here We Go' treatment. This is a very good signing, a player with pedigree at every level on the elite stage and still only 24.

"As an 8 in this United team, he will really thrive. I’m told Erik ten Hag can’t wait to work with him."

Will Mason Mount be a good signing for Manchester United?

Mount is a hard-working, quality individual who has possibly become a victim of circumstance at Chelsea and joining Manchester United under Ten Hag may be the best move for him, as the Dutch boss will have detailed plans to help him rediscover the consistency of his earlier career at the Blues.

In total, the England international has made 195 appearances for Chelsea, notching 33 goals and 37 assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Last term, Mount also showed his credentials as a creative force in midfield, racking up 1.3 key passes per match in the Premier League, as per WhoScored.

FBRef display that Mount recorded 83 successful shot-creating actions during last campaign, showing sparks of what he is capable of despite an underwhelming time of things across the board at Stamford Bridge.

With the right stewardship, Mount could be a key asset for Manchester United and form an exciting midfield alliance with the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

Liverpool's search for another option in their midfield has led them to Domink Szoboszlai, according to a report from The Athletic.

How many goals has Dominik Szoboszlai scored?

The attacking midfielder, who can also play on the wing, seems to only be getting better as his career goes on, and virtually guarantees end product from the middle of the park.

Having impressed initially with RB Salzburg, managing an incredible 36 goal contributions in 36 league starts across three years for the Austrian outfit, he was poached by sister club Leipzig in Germany.

Rather than struggle to adapt or have his numbers drop off though, the 22-year-old has continued to shine and has actually managed his two best ever goal contribution tallies in the last two seasons.

In 2022/23, the Hungary international managed a total of six goals and eight assists in 28 Bundesliga starts for the club. It was the same amount that he managed last season too, and has meant that he is now on the radar of a number of clubs this summer.

It has been Newcastle who have been most heavily linked with Szoboszlai up to now, with the Toon keeping tabs on the player as they hunt for midfield options.

Are Liverpool signing Szoboszlai?

Now though, according to a report from The Athletic, Premier League rivals Liverpool also have him on their radar. The club have even held talks with his camp already over a potential transfer this summer and are now mulling up whether to move for the player.

A deal would be hefty though, with Leipzig wanting 70 million Euros for the 22-year-old, as that would trigger his release clause, a clause which expires on Friday.

The Reds appear to feel a move may be hard to do – perhaps due to that time constraint – but it does look as though he is certainly on their wanted list. No official bid or offer has been tabled by Liverpool or Newcastle.

He's not only a talent for his club but for his country too. Having recently impressed during Hungary's fixture against Bulgaria, football talent scout Jacek Kulig called Szoboszlai a "leader" and "future icon" for them.

That's despite the fact he is still only 22-years-old. It shows how talented the player is and how he is already such a key figure for his country – he's their skipper, a clear indication of how highly he is rated back home.

If Liverpool do manage to seal a deal for the attacking midfielder then, it could be a real boost of creativity and life in midfield for the Reds.

Aston Villa have added additional Spanish firepower to the club by recruiting Monchi as president of football operations, to work alongside former Sevilla colleague Unai Emery.

The duo are expected to have a busy summer at Villa Park, with a host of talent already linked to the club.

The Spaniard could unleash some magic in the Midlands by signing one player linked with Villa, if reports are to be believed.

What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?

As initially reported by Football Transfers last week, Aston Villa are speculated to hold an interest in Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho.

The report suggested that United would be willing to sell the Englishman for a fee around the £60m mark, with his current contract running until 2026 with an option for an additional year.

Earlier this week, journalist Rudy Galetti revealed to GIVEMESPORT that the 23-year-old is a “main target” for the club, in a move that could be monumental to Villa.

What could Jadon Sancho offer to Aston Villa?

Lauded as “unbelievable” by journalist Liam Canning, the misunderstood talent could be a revelation signing for the Villans, and perhaps their biggest one for years.

There’s little denying the talent that the Englishman possesses, despite his difficulty in finding his feet in the Premier League after making the switch from the Bundesliga in 2021.

In his two seasons in Manchester so far, Sancho has contributed 15 goals and assists in 55 Premier League appearances, numbers incomparable to his final two Bundesliga campaigns in which he recorded 54 in 58 appearances for Borussia Dortmund.

His first full breakthrough in the 2018/19 season saw him record 30 G/A, scoring 12 and assisting a monstrous 18, nearly double the number of goal contributions in one term than he has in two campaigns at Old Trafford, via Transfermarkt.

Something isn’t ticking for the Englishman in Manchester, making him a valuable target for Villa should Emery have the capability to unlock his talents in the Premier League.

Hailed as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Monchi could deliver Villa Park with his first marquee signing in Sancho, who has all the ability to thrive under Emery as the leading man.

While the goals and assists haven’t arrived in the Premier League, in his game playing actions the numbers show glimpses of the player that graced Signal Iduna Park.

As per FBref, the Londoner averaged 4.70 progressive passes and 1.76 successful take-ons per 90 in the last year, highlighting his innate ability to act as a traditional wide player.

Emery identified the desire to equip Villa with a “specialist winger” in January, which he could land by signing Sancho, who is a player with all the attributes to thrive as a technician in Villa’s squad.

Taking a step back may be the best option in the search for his form, at a club where he would be regarded as an innovator under a manager that has a reputation for getting the best out of young stars.

Manchester United enjoyed a steady debut season under the tutelage of Erik ten Hag, winning the League Cup and qualifying for the Champions League, yet it may arguably be the rejuvenation of Marcus Rashford which is perhaps the best thing to come from 2022/2023.

By the end of the 2021/2022 campaign, Rashford had scored a paltry five goals and grabbed just two assists in what was a season of uncertainty and a clear lack of any ruthlessness in front of goal.

Fast forward a year later and the 25-year-old had upped these numbers to 30 goals and 13 assists, a remarkable turnaround and it was clearly the Ten Hag effect which allowed Rashford to flourish yet again, having been the golden boy of English football for so long.

With the Dutchman on the lookout for new talent that could make an impression in the United first team over the next few years, could he sign United’s next Rashford with a move for Arsenal teen starlet Ethan Nwaneri this summer?

Could Manchester United sign Ethan Nwaneri?

According to The Athletic, Man United are in the hunt for Nwaneri as they look to bring him to Old Trafford this summer.

He made headlines back in September for becoming the Premier League’s youngest-ever player after appearing against Brentford, albeit only gaining a minute of action, however his undoubted talent could see him emerge properly over the coming years.

Rashford broke into the United first team aged just 18 during a Europa League clash against FC Midtjylland, scoring a double and although Nwaneri is still a couple of years younger, he has impressed in Arsenal’s Hale End academy.

The 16-year-old scored nine goals and registered five assists for the U18 side, while the 5 foot 10 ace has even made appearances for the U21 team, playing nine games in the Premier League 2, clearly showing how highly rated he is at the Gunners.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him as a “wonderkid” while fellow Arsenal teammate Granit Xhaka has lauded the teen starlet as “special” although also declaring that the club must “protect” the player not long after he made his first team debut.

It may be a few years until he makes a Rashford-like impact on the first team should he actually make the move to United, however, the boy is talented, absolutely no doubt about it and Ten Hag should be doing all he can to lure him to Manchester.

Celtic's latest addition to the squad could come in the form of Odin Thiago Holm, with a report from Nettavisen in Norway via The Daily Record reporting that the Hoops are in talks over a move for the player.

Who is Odin Thiago Holm?

The 20-year-old has already become a key player for his current side Valerenga in Norway, having started ten games already this year and managed his best ever total of 22 in the league last time around. He is already heavily relied upon in the centre of the field by his club and helped them to sixth place in 2022.

The Norweigan first burst onto the scene at just 16-years-old, with his talents meaning that he was given a debut despite still being well into his teens. A year later, at just 17, he was entrusted to play 16 times for the club and even managed a goal and an assist along the way, finding himself on The Guardian's list of promising young stars back in 2020.

He's yet to venture outside of his home country yet but that could all change this summer. That's because a report from Nettavisen in Norway, via The Daily Record, suggests a deal could be on the cards to send him to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

It mentions that a bid has been made to sign the youngster and that the two parties are now in talks as the negotiations advance. A deal could seemingly be agreed for a fee of around £2.5m according to the same report – as the Hoops are willing to offer a larger sell-on clause to Valerenga than other suitors.

Should Celtic sign Holm?

Those outside of Norway might not be too familiar with the midfielder but those who have seen the 20-year-old play have been impressed by his ability so far.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig for example has called the player a "huge talent" and highlighted the fact that he already performed with maturity for his club despite being only relatively early on in his career.

His talent has even led to him being capped for his country's Under-20 side on two occasions as well. He's yet to crack the Under-21 or first-team for Norway but having been entrusted so heavily by Valerenga and having already been given a chance in the other youth sides, he could soon make the grade. Celtic, then, could have a talent on their hands if they complete a deal for Holm.

Tottenham Hotspur will be worried over the possibility of losing star man Harry Kane to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

According to talkSPORT, Kane is being lined up by Real Madrid as a potential replacement for striker Karim Benzema, who moved to Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League earlier this week.

The report states that Carlo Ancelotti has made the £200k-a-week England international his top target this summer. However, Spurs will be resistant to offers from other Premier League sides for Kane's services.

Manchester United are also keen on signing the 29-year-old, giving him an option that would be able to keep him based in England; nevertheless, Spurs will be a tough side to negotiate with for his signature, as per The Telegraph.

Kane was in magnificent form for Tottenham this term, registering 32 goals and five assists from 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Now, it looks as if Kane will have a decision to make on his future in the next few months based on his career ambitions, with just 12 months now left on his contract in N17.

Although, it has since been claimed that Levy has no intention at all of selling the striker to Real Madrid, so it remains to be seen.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Tottenham may be worried over the possibility of Kane swapping the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Jones told FFC: "If you're Spurs, it's never great news if Real Madrid are linked with one of your players these days; they took Bale, they took Modric and now they want Kane. They've got a really good hit rate of signing Tottenham stars and there's a pretty good relationship between the two clubs."

Should Harry Kane stay at Tottenham Hotspur or move elsewhere?

Kane is an elite striker, though he has never won a single trophy in his career, which is something that he will want to rectify before his playing days are over.

Spurs have just installed former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou as their new manager, who is someone that has plenty of silverware under his belt, seeing as he took the Hoops to five out of six trophies, including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles in his time in Glasgow, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, whether that translates to the waters of the Premier League is an entirely different matter to deal with and it will be interesting to see if Kane sticks around to try and achieve that feat.

Of course, the England international is only 48 goals away from becoming the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer, which may sway him to remain at Tottenham to try and secure the extremely prestigious accolade.

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer and his arrival could help Jurgen Klopp to once again rival Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

Could Liverpool sign Milinkovic-Savic this summer?

It seems clear that the Reds need to recruit in the middle of the park after James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were all confirmed to be leaving Anfield when their contracts expire at the end of June.

Journalist Rudy Galetti confirmed in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that Milinkovic-Savic is one of the names that Klopp will consider this summer.

He said: “Yes it's true, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is among the names in the list. His contract will expire in 2024 and Lazio, to avoid losing him as a free agent next year, will have to sell him in the summer.”

As the 28-year-old is now entering the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico, reports have suggested that he could be available for as little as €40m (£35m), which could represent a bargain for the Reds as they look to reestablish themselves alongside the Premier League's elite next season.

Would Milinkovic-Savic be a good signing for Liverpool?

This season alone would be enough to justify the Reds spending more than £30m on the Serbia international, as he boasts nine goals and eight assists in Serie A, with a superb 7.24 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Given this is a better average rating than anyone in Liverpool's squad would muster, while only Mohamed Salah managed more goal contributions, it is clear the quality that Milinkovic-Savic could add at Anfield.

A lack of quality in the middle of the park has certainly cost the Reds this season, with none of the central options in Klopp's squad contributing more than four goal contributions, with Fabinho agreed to be 'out of gas' and on 'the decline' – as per Sachin Nakrani – and Thiago struggling with injury throughout the campaign.

Such was Milinkovic-Savic's level of performance earlier in the campaign that teammate Ciro Immobile dubbed him magic and suggested that he was even "on the same level as Kevin De Bruyne."

If the 28-year-old proved to be even half as good as Manchester City's talismanic Belgian, who has contributed 96 goals and 149 assists during his time at the Etihad, and won five Premier League titles, it would quite the signing.

While perhaps not the most elegant of footballers, they boast ruthless efficiency from central areas in the final third.

Klopp will be desperate to try and rival the Citizens once again in 2023/24 after pushing them so close last season, and the signing of Milinkovic-Savic could definitely take his midfield to a new level and get them back to their best.

Burnley have sealed an instant bounce back into the Premier League and Vincent Kompany will be working hard to build a team fit to compete comfortably in the top flight next season.

The Clarets have already secured two permanent signings ahead of their return; however, after confirming this week that 18 players will leave the club this summer, there is still plenty of work to be done in the transfer market.

Indeed, their attacking threat has been one of the most tenacious in the Championship, with no other team scoring more goals (87) over the 46-game campaign.

However, with Ashley Barnes heading to Norwich City and top scorer Nathan Tella’s future at the club uncertain due to his imminent return to his parent club Southampton, it could potentially leave a gaping hole in the forward line.

The Saints are facing a spell in the second tier after their top-flight relegation, which means that Tella’s success in the Championship could entice the south coast side to retain his services for their promotion challenge.

As a result, bolstering the options in the final third will be massively advantageous to Kompany, and bringing in a player with experience at a top-flight club would be an even bigger boost.

One player who has been linked with a move to Turf Moor this summer is former Chelsea academy graduate and current Troyes striker Ike Ugbo.

Who is Ike Ugbo?

The 24-year-old has been at a number of clubs over his career so far, including MK Dons, Barnsley and Genk. However, his rise through the Cobham academy is most notable.

Despite never making a senior appearance for Chelsea beyond pre-season friendlies, Ugbo tallied up 25 goals and four assists in the U18s and U21s before venturing on a number of loan moves and eventually settling in Ligue 1 with Troyes.

Over 23 league appearances, the £13k-per-week dynamo – dubbed as ‘decisive’ by the Belgian media – has only scored two goals and registered one assist, however, has only averaged 32 minutes per game and earned just seven starts.

According to FBref, Leicester City goal machine Jamie Vardy is the second most comparable forward to Ugbo over the last 12 months, with the pair sharing similarities in their output this season, including shots on target per 90 (0.50 v 0.63), shot-creating actions per 90 (1.12 v 1.66) and goal contributions delivered per 90 (0.37 v 0.34).

Whilst the ideal signing would be for a Premier League-proven striker that can offer consistent goal contributions next season, it's an endeavour that won’t come cheap for the Clarets.

Instead, the signing of Ugbo could be a great opportunity for the Burnley boss to flex his clear ability to improve and develop unpolished talent without sacrificing crucial finances that will be needed in other areas of the pitch.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Burnley as they prepare to return to the Premier League, and Ugbo could be Kompany’s answer to Vardy if he can get the very best from him next season.

Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah will miss the Reds’ Premier League clash against Southampton tonight, reliable journalist Paul Joyce has claimed.

The Lowdown: Must-win game for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s side make the trip to St Mary’s in the knowledge that defeat will officially spell the end of their title hopes.

Liverpool are four points behind Manchester City with a game in hand, so victory against Saints will take the title race to the final day of an incredible season. A draw would mathematically keep the race alive, but the Reds would then need to beat Wolves and hope City lose to Aston Villa with a seven-goal swing, which seems massively unlikely.

Both Van Dijk and Salah went off injured in Saturday’s FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea, and they have been big doubts leading up to tonight’s match.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-32/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Van Dijk and Salah to miss out

According to Joyce, who was reporting for The Times, the two Liverpool superstars will both miss out at St Mary’s, coming as an undoubted blow to the Reds’ hopes of getting a positive result.

The report states that Liverpool are looking to ‘protect their fitness’ ahead of the Champions League final clash with Real Madrid on May 28th, which at least suggests that the injuries to Salah and Van Dijk aren’t serious.

The Verdict: Huge task for Klopp’s men

It makes perfect sense for Klopp not to risk Van Dijk and Salah tonight, even though there must be a part of him tempted to throw them back in, given that there is still slight yet plausible hope of regaining the Premier League title.

It simply isn’t worth potentially losing them for Champions League final in Paris, though. If Liverpool drop points away to the Saints, it will just have to be one of those that the Reds accept and then move on.

The Premier League has always felt like the free hit out of the four competitions in recent weeks, given City’s lead, and it is now a case of battling through one more away game by any means necessary.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a Premier League attacker. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and reliable source Alasdair Gold has shared a promising update on the club’s links to former hero Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites eye reunion?

Spurs are believed to be one of many clubs considering a Bosman move for the Denmark international, who has been shining across London with Brentford.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 30-year-old, after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during last year’s Euro 2020, throwing his playing career into doubt, has since took to the grass again under Thomas Frank and made a real contribution.

Eriksen has been one of the Premier League fairy-tale stories of 2022 with Gold now sharing an update on Tottenham’s links to re-signing their ex-playmaker star.

The Latest: Gold drops promising update…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, the journalist claims that Eriksen could now be open to joining Spurs this summer.

He explained: “As a free agent he’ll have plenty of interest this summer. I’m told that while he didn’t depart Spurs on the best of terms with the Tottenham hierarchy, he still loves the club and his preference is believed to be to remain in London.

“It’s whether the Dane feels that he should show some loyalty to Brentford for bringing him back into the game or whether the pull of playing for Conte again and Tottenham, where he would be a good fit back in the Italian’s 3-5-2, is more enticing.”

The Verdict: Ideal for Conte?

Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte allegedly has eye on as many as six major summer signings, including two midfielders (The Telegraph), so transfer chief Fabio Paratici may well need to turn to the Bosman market.

Signing Eriksen on a free deal would be an astute move, not just for the romantic aspect of his return, but also because he is a proven Premier League creator.

Having shined at Spurs for years before leaving for Inter Milan in 2020, he has picked up right where he left off in England with Brentford, with teammate Pontus Jansson even calling him a ‘superstar’.

He could well be the ideal signing for Conte and some supporters may be hoping that Eriksen is indeed tempted to return.

In other news: Tottenham ready to make major bid for ‘world-beater’ who told friends he was keen to join! Find out more here.