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Manchester United are reportedly interested in strengthening their options at right-back this summer, with Erik ten Hag said to be showing an interest in Inter Milan star, Denzel Dumfries.

What's the latest on Dumfries to Man United?

According to journalist Laurie Whitwell – writing for The Athletic – the Red Devils seemingly feel that they are in need of an 'upgrade' on Aaron Wan-Bissaka if they are to truly challenge for major honours moving forward, having only recently handed a new five-year deal to teammate, Diogo Dalot.

With that in mind, the report adds that among those who are being considered by United is the aforementioned Dumfries, with the club's scouting reports said to 'rate his intelligence and athleticism highly'.

The respected insider goes on to add that with the Netherlands international having just two years left to run on his existing deal at San Siro, the 27-year-old could command a fee of around £35m.

Should Man United sign Dumfries?

If it is an upgrade on Wan-Bissaka that United are looking for, then Dumfries could prove to be the perfect solution, with the "breathless" talent – as lauded by pundit Micah Richards at last year's World Cup – having dazzled for club and country of late.

The former PSV Eindhoven machine notably racked up one goal and two assists in just five outings for Oranje in Qatar, taking his total tally to six goals and 11 assists in 43 senior games at international level.

On the domestic front, the Rotterdam native has also impressed after bagging one goal and seven assists in 34 Serie A games this season, having also played his part in Inter's surge to the Champions League final, after featuring in 11 of his side's 12 games in the competition so far.

That ability to provide an attacking threat from his right-sided berth is in stark contrast to that of Wan-Bissaka, with the Englishman – who is yet to feature for his country – having contributed just one assist and no goals in all competitions in 2022/23.

Equally, while the latter man created just one big chance in the Premier League this season, Dumfries was able to offer a far greater creative outlet in Serie A, after registering 11 big chances in total.

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That is not to suggest that the 6 foot 2 machine neglects his defensive duties as he notably ranks in the top 7% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won, while the current United man ranks in just the bottom 40% in that regard.

Although Wan-Bissaka 'enjoyed a resurgent second half to the campaign' – according to Whitwell – and started in the weekend's FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City, the former Crystal Palace man has regularly come under fire for his woes in possession, having been branded "useless" on the ball by club legend, Paul Scholes.

With Dumfries evidently far more comfortable at making an impact in the final third, it is easy to see why the one-time Heerenveen man would be an upgrade for Ten Hag next season.

Celtic goalkeeper Conor Hazard ‘will look to go out on loan’ in a bid to find more game time, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Scottish Premiership star will be out of contract at the end of the season, and having not yet been offered or put pen to paper on fresh terms, his future is up in the air.

In January, reports claimed that the 6 foot 6 colossus turned down the opportunity to join Ross County, but it’s since been revealed that he’s now searching for his next destination.

The Hoops are likely to give him the green light to depart on loan but could also be tempted to cash in should a permanent offer arrive, as stated by the same outlet.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton insisted that Hazard would be better securing a temporary exit rather than leaving for good.

“I think if you look at the age of Siegrist, he obviously knows the league with Dundee United and he is a steady goalkeeper who can come in and handle it.

“Hart is your number one. So the likes of Hazard are going to be thinking he is going to be limited with game time.

“I think he will look to go out on loan.

“I think he will still believe in himself that he will have that opportunity to even push for number two. I think a loan option is perfect for him.“

The Verdict: Let him go

Hazard hasn’t made a single appearance under Ange Postecoglou since the manager’s arrival so Celtic would be making completely the right decision by sanctioning an exit.

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The Northern Irishman had a successful loan spell with HJK Helsinki in 2022, where he kept 14 clean sheets in 39 appearances, so he could massively benefit from completing the same kind of experience again.

The Bhoys already have Joe Hart, Benjamin Siegrist and Scott Bain in the building so it wouldn’t hurt offloading Hazard, where he could then challenge for a first-team spot upon his return.

Tottenham Hotspur are the latest team to register an interest in signing World Cup sensation Enzo Fernandez ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, who has listed the north Londoners alongside a range of teams who have sounded out his agents over a potential move in 2023.

The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, both Manchester clubs and Arsenal are among the domestic rivals, whilst European giants such as Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are also keen to secure his signature.

However, if a team is to land him, then they’ll have to pay Benfica his €120m (£105m) release clause and after he won the ‘Young Player of the Tournament’ award in Qatar, that is something of a “bargain” – in the words of analyst Statman Dave.

Imagine him and Bentancur at Spurs

Fernandez is a real star of the future, potentially joining the likes of Josko Gvardiol and Jude Bellingham as generational talents at the highest level.

Indeed, the Argentine “phenomenon” – as hailed by scout Jacek Kulig – has already been likened to one of the game’s greats in Zinedine Zidane by Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro.

According to the former Real Madrid assistant, who was at the Bernabeu at the same time as the legendary French midfielder, Fernandez’s “surprising passes and vision” are “similar to those of Zidane, who sometimes solved a play just by the way he received the ball,” before also lauding him as “absolutely amazing.”

It’s hard to argue against that, as we’ve just seen at the World Cup, where he stood alongside compatriot Lionel Messi and PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe as the award winners on the world’s biggest stage.

Across seven appearances, the Benfica dynamo provided two goal contributions from a holding midfield role and also averaged 3.97 tackles and interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

Being defensively sound but also capable of showing creativity in the final third – having averaged 3.04 shot-creating actions and 3.81 progressive passes per 90 in Qatar – is certainly in similar ilk to Zidane.

And when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s ‘next eight’, he’s in a total league of his own, ranking inside the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals and assists (0.45), attempted passes (96.83) and progressive passes (9.50) per 90, via FBref.

If Spurs were to shock the footballing world and win the race for Fernandez, then sporting director Fabio Paratici could form a frightening partnership in Antonio Conte’s engine room, pairing him alongside Rodrigo Bentancur.

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The Uruguay international caught the eye in the group stages but has been immense for the north Londoners domestically, managing four goals and two assists from 14 league appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Pairing the Argentine “beast” – as described by journalist Ives Galarcep – with the Uruguayan “Rolls-Royce” – as South American football writer Tom Robinson once lauded – would be a midfield unit to be reckoned with in the Premier League and beyond.

Paratici and co would need to shatter a club-record but on recent evidence, Fernandez would be worth every penny, so he must look to try and lure the 21-year-old to Hotspur Way in January.

AND in other news, Paratici could ease Spurs’ big Richarlison blow by signing £13m “magician” in January…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are plotting a move to sign Dynamo Kyiv winger Viktor Tsygankov, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Attracting interest

The 24-year-old has now entered the final 12 months of his deal with the Ukrainian giants, meaning that he needs to be sold in January should his club want to cash in at the final opportunity.

This contract situation appears to have caught the attention of several Premier League clubs, who know that a cut-price transfer could become available, and the Old Gold have been name-checked as a potential suitor.

The Latest: Wolves monitoring Tsygankov

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux (via Sport Witness), Wolves, alongside West Ham and Newcastle, are all ‘keeping an eye’ on Tsygankov.

It’s stated that the attacker ‘isn’t lacking suitors’, with the trio of clubs believed to be ‘lurking’ on the off chance a future deal could be struck.

The player could be available ‘either on a free or a reduced fee in January’, with a cut-price switch being a very attractive proposition for the Wanderers.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Bruno Lage already has the likes of Daniel Podence and Adama Traore at his disposal so a new winger won’t be a priority, but if the chance to sign Tsygankov comes up, it’s surely an offer the boss couldn’t refuse.

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The ‘outrageous’ talent, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made a remarkable 147 goal contributions for Dynamo (87 goals and 60 assists), and is off to a flying start this season, racking up four contributions in six across all competitions.

This cutting edge in the final third is something that Wolves have been lacking for quite some time, and Tsygankov would be the perfect man to come in and fix that.

After losing Gabriel Jesus to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, Manchester City could be about to lose a second forward to yet another London outfit.

What’s the word?

That is according to an update from super-journalist Fabrizio Romano, who has claimed that Raheem Sterling is keen on a move to Chelsea, with Tuchel’s side preparing a new bid for the England international.

Taking to his personal Twitter page to issue the update, Romano said: “Positive feelings around Raheem Sterling deal also tonight. Chelsea have a new bid ready, Man City are prepared to let him go as it was part of the plan – and Raheem is keen on Chelsea move. Personal terms, already discussed. Second bid is coming. More to follow soon.”

Indeed, Romano then Tweeted on Tuesday: “Chelsea will also send new bid to Manchester City for Raheem Sterling – Tuchel wants two wingers.”

Guardiola will be gutted

Despite the arrivals of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, the loss of Jesus and potentially now Sterling will prove impactful.

In losing such a duo, Guardiola is not only losing experience in his attacking line, but losing two players who hit a combined 34 Premier League goals last season via their respective attacking contributions, with Jesus scoring eight and assisting eight, and Sterling bagging 13 and assisting five times.

At 27-years-old, Sterling is approaching the prime years of his career and already sits as City’s second-highest goalscorer in their history with 131 scored for the club, 129 goals behind Sergio Aguero.

His development under Man City’s Spanish tactician has been exponential and he’s been a regular in a side that have also shown terrific development over the last seven seasons, with Sterling making 30 or more appearances in each campaign he’s played for the Cityzens.

His fitness is yet another underrated component in what, on the whole, is a technical player who often goes under the radar in terms of his natural ability.

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The England international’s pace cannot be matched up top and with both player and club said to be keen, Guardiola now faces a very real situation in which his dynamic winger could be turning out in a deeper shade of blue for a big rival, an eventuality that would leave him gutted.

On a personal level, this does not seem like a prosperous opportunity for Sterling and after selling Jesus to Arsenal, it’s less than ideal from a Manchester City and Guardiola perspective.

In other news: Txiki now in advanced talks to seal behind-the-scenes MCFC deal, Pep will be buzzing 

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos this summer as David Moyes plans to strengthen his squad during the upcoming transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Hammers – alongside Premier League rivals Wolves – are keen to bring the 27-year-old to England.

The Argentine has two years left on his contract with the La Liga outfit and played the entire first leg of the two teams’ Europa League round of 16 tie last month, missing the trip to the London Stadium.

Valued by Transfermarkt at £27m, Ocampos has scored nine goals and registered four assists in 36 appearances across all competitions this season and could be an intriguing addition to the Irons’ squad.

Moyes should sign Ocampos

It’s no secret that, despite another successful season, West Ham need a reshape of their playing personnel this summer. The average age of Moyes’ squad is 28.8 and consists of just 24 players, a low tally considering that they’ve played in four different competitions this term.

Reinforcements in every position are likely to be needed, including in the wide attacking positions.

Although at 27 he wouldn’t bring the average squad age down considerably, Ocampos is at a prime age where he can still improve whilst already having huge experience, something which could potentially shift out the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals or Andriy Yarmolenko.

Most importantly, though, he’s certainly an improvement on some of the Hammers’ current options.

Bowen is arguably an exception, with the Englishman currently West Ham’s top scorer this season with 14 goals. However, the 25-year-old is the only Irons winger who has scored more than Ocampos in 2021/22, with Benrahma scoring nine and Pablo Fornals six, and the ex-Hull City star has been linked with a possible move to Newcastle in recent days.

Moreover, Yarmolenko is expected to depart this summer upon the expiration of his contract, further highlighting the necessity of a winger being on West Ham’s wishlist this summer.

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Described as “electric” by journalist Fede Praml, the tricky Sevilla winger currently averages 1.9 shots per game whilst enjoying an 83% passing accuracy and 40% dribbling success. The 27-year-old’s defensive contribution is satisfactory too, with 1.4 tackles and 0.6 clearances per match.

It may take time for the Argentine to adapt to the Premier League and West Ham’s style of play if he moves to east London, but it is crucial that the Hammers finish the next transfer window with a bigger squad than what Moyes current has, especially if they succeed in qualifying for Europe and if Bowen is tempted to Tyneside.

In other news – Imagine him & Zouma: Moyes could unearth West Ham’s next Rio Ferdinand in “clever” £12k-p/w gem

Leeds Live’s Beren Cross has revealed that Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa retains the full support of those inside the dressing room.

What’s the story?

Writing initially on Twitter, he said: “For all of the harsh spotlights cast on Bielsa’s future in recent weeks, there’s nothing but rock-solid, continued support inside the dressing room.”

In an accompanying article for Leeds Live, he added: “Consider the wagons circled in Leeds United’s dressing room when it comes to calls for Marcelo Bielsa’s head from the wider world.

“The slide down the Premier League table since the highs of ninth in May has inevitably brought more noise and criticism upon Bielsa from those in the media looking on from afar.

“While opinions in Elland Road’s boardroom and stands are far less scathing, Bielsa’s position remains rock solid and if anyone dares to doubt player feeling, they would be sorely mistaken.”

Everyone is behind Bielsa

Given the struggles the Whites have endured this season in the Premier League – they lie just a couple of places above the relegation zone after 18 matches played – it’s been no surprise that the pressure has ramped up on Bielsa like it has never done before during his time in England.

The Argentine has had to rue his team’s misfortune with injuries and illnesses over these past few weeks and months in particular, with everything which could go wrong doing so – for instance, the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford have been ruled out for extended periods of time.

Despite the damaging defeats to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal recently, and the poor run of form overall, Cross’ update that the players are well and truly behind Bielsa is sure to leave Whites fans buzzing.

Many Leeds supporters have embraced Bielsa and his manic ways since the moment he stepped through the door at Elland Road, and the feeling is certainly mutual. Indeed, even during the recent home mauling by the Gunners, many of those at the ground continued to sing their support for the manager.

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While things are tough right now in terms of the on-pitch performances and results, the reports that Bielsa has got the backing of key personnel inside the dressing room are very encouraging.

Meanwhile, Orta could solve a big issue at Leeds by signing this colossus…

Sunderland and Elliot Embleton’s representatives have started talks over a new contract at the club for the midfielder, according to Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith.

The Lowdown: Emerging talent

The 22-year-old has become a key figure in the Black Cats’ squad this season after helping Blackpool earn promotion to the Championship last term with two goals and four assists in 21 appearances while on loan at Bloomfield Road.

This season, the midfielder has already contributed to five goals (two goals and three assists) in eight League One games as Lee Johnson’s men sit top of the table, but his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: New contract

According to Smith, who was talking on a Q&A for the Sunderland Echo, Embleton’s contract situation is a priority for the club.

The journalist said: “Elliot Embleton is the obvious priority and Sunderland have already made moves to start that process. Krisjaan Speakman is understood to have started talks with his representatives and at the moment, there seems to be a will on all sides to get that done.

“It’s by far the most important contract to get sorted at this stage, both in terms of protecting a real asset and also in retaining a player who has quickly become central to Lee Johnson’s plans.”

The Verdict: Needs to be done

Embleton showcased his talents last season for Blackpool and has continued his fine form into the current campaign since moving to the Stadium of Light. The midfielder has completed 81% of his passes and, as highlighted above, been a regular source of goals in terms of scoring them or setting them up, quickly justifying why the Wearsiders wanted to bring him in.

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The left winger has formed a good partnership with Alex Pritchard and Aiden McGeady in Johnson’s 4-2-3-1 formation and has been a strong factor as to why they sit top of the table early in the campaign. Hopefully club and player can quickly come to a satisfactory resolution in contract talks, thereby securing his future at Sunderland for another few years.

In other news, Sunderland have received a boost ahead of this weekend’s game with Portsmouth. Find out more here.

Manchester United have reportedly received no contact from Paris Saint-Germain over a possible move for Paul Pogba.

What’s the story?

Several outlets have linked the French giants with a move for the 28-year-old in recent days after he entered the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, but no formal approach has been made, according to the Manchester Evening News.

Pogba is believed to be relaxed over his future and settled in Cheshire with his family, although United players closest to the midfielder are thought to be of the opinion he should be allowed to leave as it’s in the best interests of the player and the club.

Solskjaer will be delighted

Despite the continued speculation and uncertainly regarding Pogba’s future, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will surely be delighted that no approach has been made by PSG.

The France international has established himself as a pivotal player for the 20-time English champions during his time at the club and arguably produced his best-ever form in a Red Devils shirt in the second half of last season.

After becoming United’s record signing in an £89m move from Juventus back in 2016, Pogba has scored 38 goals and provided 42 assists in 206 appearances, winning the League Cup and Europa League along the way.

However, he’s been unable to drag the club towards football’s biggest prizes, often struggling for consistency and drawing his fair share of criticism as a result.

Some of the negative narratives have been extremely harsh on the £54m-rated beast, though. United haven’t built a strong enough team to compete for the Champions League or Premier League during Pogba’s time at the club, and only now are they moving in a positive direction.

Since Solskjaer has taken charge, the Old Trafford outfit have recorded consecutive top-four finishes for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirements, reached multiple semi-finals and were beaten in the Europa League final last term.

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With the imminent arrival of Jadon Sancho and the potential addition of Raphael Varane, the Norwegian tactician is close to building a team with the ability to return United to the sport’s summit.

Losing Pogba, who has been lauded as a “monster” in recent seasons, would be a devastating blow to the progress that Solsjaer has made during his two-and-a-half-year tenure, and he’ll be hoping the World Cup-winning dynamo puts pen to paper on a new deal and commits his future to United for many years to come.

And, in other news…“Matter of hours”: Fresh Man Utd transfer update is revealed that’ll have fans buzzing 

Rangers have reportedly enquired about signing Newcastle United winger Jacob Murphy ahead of the summer, although Steven Gerrard’s hopes of bringing him to Ibrox are slim as he is also reportedly set to sign a new contract with the Magpies.

According to Chronicle Live, the 26-year-old has attracted interest ahead of the summer as a result of his impressive recent performances for Steve Bruce’s side, but he is set to stay at St James’ Park as Newcastle have the option to trigger a one-year extension, which they will take up.

The former Norwich City winger, who is currently valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, has put in a string of excellent performances as a right-back in recent weeks, which have helped steer the Toon well clear of relegation from the Premier League.

Having struggled for regular starts in Bruce’s side earlier in the season, it seems as if Murphy was able to win over his manager with a starring performance from the bench in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa back in March, as he has since gone on to appear in each of Newcastle’s last seven games, starting six of them.

He has produced impressive displays against Tottenham, Burnley and Liverpool recently, emphasising that he has the quality to play in the Premier League, and therefore he could have been an excellent addition to Gerrard’s side at Ibrox.

Although his best performances this season have come as a right-back, he could have been utilised in a number of positions by Gerrard, which certainly would have been appreciated by the Gers boss as he begins planning for the 2021/22 campaign, which will see Rangers compete in the Champions League.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-rangers-news-transfer-rumours-and-more-copy-copy” title=“Latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more from Ibrox!”]

The 26-year-old earned high praise from Noel Whelan earlier in the season, with the former Leeds man telling Football Insider: “Murphy is a player with so much ability. He was brought to that club to run, be direct, use that pace and skill that he has with the ball at his feet and now he seems to be doing it.

“Murphy seems to be enjoying football again at Newcastle. The surroundings, the manager and the squad all seem to have made a nice connection. Newcastle seems a happier camp right now and Murphy is showing what a fantastic player he is.”

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Therefore, it is a huge blow to Gerrard’s chances of signing Murphy this summer that he is close to agreeing a one-year extension with the Toon, for unless the Gers are willing to stump up a significant fee, it seems unlikely that he will complete a switch to Ibrox.

In other news… Forgotten Rangers outcast sent Gerrard a huge message with “sensational” weekend display